The Calamities of Seventh Grade
by LottaLovegoodPickles
Summary: Tommy Pickles and his friends deal with a plethora of new issues, including new friends and a very cruel new 7th grade history teacher who ruins the Rugrats' lives, even more than Angelica would even hope to! First of my AGU!/Rugrats series.
1. The First Day of School

_*All recognizable characters are credited to Klasky Csupo *_

* * *

><p><em>Is it me or are the sixth graders even smaller than we were last year?<em>

The small statues of the ten to eleven-year-olds walking toward the front doors of Jim Junior Middle School was the one thing currently on Thomas Pickles' mind. _Well, today is the first day of school. Another year. Another year closer to high school. Of course, I still have to get through seventh grade. And eighth._

_ Seventh grade. The middle year. Not the oldest, nor the youngest. _

_ Wonderful. _

Sighing heavily, Tommy runs a hand through his cropped black hair. The memories of the past two years, now race through his mind.

Sixth grade had been largely uneventful, after the wild and sometimes-agonizing fifth grade. He and his friends discovered the first glimpse of pre-teenage angst. Puberty reared its ugly head as he and the other boys became hairier and their voices began cracking. The girls had their share of issues and Tommy had no wish to research deeper than what he learned in health class.

Two years ago, Tommy got his first kiss. He never saw the girl, Olivia Benson, again. It wasn't long before he met Rachel Ann Wyatt Horowitz, his first official girlfriend. It was ironic that the two met at the Hebrew school that his mother made him attend, and that their relationship somewhat mirrored that of his grandparents Boris and Minka Kropotkin.

However, it was due to what Tommy believed was his stupidity that the relationship ended in disaster.

_You were too young for a girlfriend anyway, sweetie, _his mother had said at the time.

Tommy gritted his teeth. _Like that would ever make me feel any better about myself, Mom. _

Now that he turned twelve last week and is set to begin seventh grade any moment now, Tommy had decided: no more drama.

Sixth grade brought him a strict science teacher, Mrs. Guppy, that was the opposite of Mr. Beaker, who was kind of a joke. Next, his aunt Charlotte got her CEO position back. Of all the years Tommy had known Jonathan Patalas, he never saw the scandal that ended his promising promotion over his at times abusive boss.

Tommy felt blessed to still have his closest friends and brother around after all the drama of the past two years. His stomach twists into a knot, now thinking about his brother. Younger by fourteen months, the unique Dil Pickles is set to start sixth grade. Although young enough to be in fifth, Dil was clearly smart enough to be in seventh grade. The new program for Gifted students, run by Vice Principal Estes Pangborn and Tommy's future English teacher, Miss. Velma O'Keats, kicked off last year with Chuckie Finster, Tommy's best friend, and Dil practically skipping a grade.

He hoped that Mrs. Guppy wouldn't give Dil a hard time, even though he was in the Acceleration Program for Gifted Students. Mrs. Guppy would be the least of Dil's problems, Tommy knew. Dil would be going through puberty, starting this year. Middle school pre-teenagers were also more likely to submit into peer pressure. Poor Chuckie was the evident example, before Miss. O'Keats helped him through it last year. As for a unique kid like Dil…well it could break or make him stronger.

Tommy desperately hoped it would be the second possible outcome.

Meanwhile, his cousin Angelica, along with Susie Carmichael and Harold Frumpkin, will be starting ninth grade at Winona High School. Tommy knew that he and his friends will not be able to survive another year of Angelica's ridicule. Even at fourteen, Angelica was cruel and vindictive, but none of the current bad deeds could compare with those of her pre-school days…

The older students, most with irked faces, dawdle toward the school. Some complained about the fact that school had started up again and summer was not "long enough." A select few seemed genuinely happy about the upcoming year, chatting excitedly about new classes and new teachers.

Tommy didn't know how to feel, as he heads toward the doors with the other kids.

A few other students run up toward him, one with flaming red-orange hair and glasses, one of Japanese descent with raven hair tied up in stalks and two fraternal twins- a boy and girl- with matching brunette hair in different styles. Tommy recognized the two in front as Chuckie Finster, his best friend of eleven years, and his step-sister Kimi. Phil and Lil DeVille, his next door neighbors and close friends, brought up the rear.

"Hey, Tommy!" Chuckie smiles.

"Good morning!" Lil gives a perky wave.

"_Konnichiwa, _Tommy!" Kimi greets.

"Tommy, we going in?" Phil said.

Tommy grins. "Bell's about to ring, so…yeah."

"Cool beans."

The five long time best friends walked together into the forbidding school building, all pensive about the daunting seventh grade. Tommy, the clear leader of the friends, Chuckie, the shy and sensitive academic nerd, Phil, the bohemian goof-up, Lil, the strong, independent soccer girl, and Kimi, the worldly and unconventional artist.

Their first year in middle school without Angelica…Tommy could taste the relief.

"Where's Dil?" Kimi wonders. "He wasn't on the bus."

"Mom took him to school early," Tommy replies, with a shrug. "Pangborn and O'Keats wanted him and the other Gifted students to come a half hour early for the orientation."

"I can attest to that," Chuckie said, with a sigh. "I had to get up early, so Dad could take me to school. Dil's probably still with Pangborn…I mean, that's where I left him.

"Man!" Phil muses, shaking his head. "Dil in an acceleration program. That's like Chuckie's neck of the woods, eh?"

Chuckie averts his eyes to the ground. Tommy knew that his best friend was nervous enough. Although now officially in eighth grade, Chuckie would be taking classes at the high school with the freshmen in the afternoon, thanks to the acceleration program. His friends, particularly Tommy and Kimi, felt for him. While they and the twins would bask in the glory of an Angelica-free day, Chuckie would have to spend a half-day with her.

Just when he'd be shot of her for at least a year.

"Apparently, my little brother decided to be a smart kid," Tommy finally responds to Phil's comment. "It's probably the only thing going for him now."

"The fact that we're his only friends?" Phil said.

"Phillip!" his sister scolds, with a wrinkle in her forehead that eerily reminded Tommy of his mother, Didi, as well as Phil and Lil's own mother, Betty.

"What? It's true."

"Dil never had any luck with the other kids his age," Kimi stated. "It's _really_ not his fault. He's just too-"

"Weird?" Chuckie finishes.

"Let's change the subject, you guys." Tommy waves a hand. "Who do we all have for homeroom? I got this Stedwell guy. History."

"Me too," Phil and Lil piped up, simultaneously.

"I got Ms. Winston. Geometry," Chuckie took out his schedule. "I heard she's pretty hard."

"Yeah," Tommy agrees. "Susie and Angelica had her."

"I got Miss O'Keats for English," Kimi said. "It should be interesting. Susie said that she was relatively easy. As for Ms. Winston, Susie said that as long as you work hard, you should do well."

"Chuckie _always _works hard," Phil said, rolling his eyes. "It's starting to annoy me."

Chuckie throws a dirty look at his direction.

"What about this Stedwell dude?" Lil said, making a face. "I've never heard of him."

"That's cuz he's new," Kimi said. "I heard that the school got an influx of new teachers over the summer."

The bell suddenly rings, as the students hurry across the hall to their homeroom classes.

"Well. Time for the first day of school," Tommy said, heaving a sigh.

"Lunch?" Chuckie said. "Outside at our normal table?"

"Yeah. I'll find a way to tell Dil. I still don't know his schedule."

"All right. Good luck." Chuckie waves as he heads to the math wing.

"You too, Chuck."

"Bonne chance!" Kimi cries, as she sprints toward Miss O'Keats' classroom. Tommy turns to the twins.

"Let's go find out what this Stedwell is like."

* * *

><p>Ten miles away, the students of Winona High School await the morning bell to signal the first day of school. Fourteen-year-old Angelica Pickles sashays toward the front steps of the high school, head held up high, lips pursed, and judging brown eyes scoping the atmosphere. Brianna Milo, Chelsea Aquino, and Paris Seltzer trail behind her. Who would have thought that those three would be tailing behind her?<p>

The three girls once belonged to her greatest middle school rival, Savannah Shannon. God, that girl had everything Angelica wanted. Now that Savannah moved away to Orlando, Florida (her dad got some hotshot job at the theme park or something), Angelica finally took over. After a semester and summer of brown-nosing and manipulation (Brianna _almost _came close), she slipped right into Savannah's place as the most popular girl in her grade.

She'll try out for the cheer-leading squad, maybe scope out for a guy. This was going to be a great year for her, regardless of what Finster and his loser pre-teen friends will do…

_Finster. _Angelica internally groans at the thought of seeing that freckle-faced, bespectacled, annoyingly intelligent, cowardly, mouth full of braces, _ugh- _goody two-shoes _freak!_

_ Ugh!_

_ Calm down, Ange. Don't let _him _get to you. This is _your _year. This is _your_ time to shine. Your- _

"Hey, Angelica!" Sean Butler waves from across the road. He and his best friend Justin Rogers walk toward her.

Angelica flashes her best smile. "Hi, Sean! Lunch today?"

"You bet! See ya then."

She turns to the double doors. _Savannah is gone to greater pastures in Orlando, Florida. Her friends worship me now. And Sean definitely likes me and considers me his friend. _

_ Oh, yeah. High school will totally be the best four years of my life._

"Umph!" She collides with someone.

"Watch where you're going, loser!" she immediately shrieks.

"You watch it." The kid she had collided with was a blond boy of about her age. His blue-grey eyes narrow in disgust at the sight of Angelica and her friends.

Her brow furrows. _Who is he? Some new kid. Hmm, he better watch his step._

"Just pay attention and _maybe _it won't happen again!" Angelica then snaps at him. She turns away with a flip of her shoulder-length blonde hair. She walks up the steps, with the three girls in tow.

"Ugh! What a loser," Angelica starts, with the three walking at her side. "Did you see his hair?" she turns toward Brianna.

"Oh, yeah," said Brianna. "He _obviously _uses oil to slick it."

"Seems like he thinks highly of himself," said Chelsea. "And that blazer he was wearing? Looks like off a bad boarding school drama."

"Totally!" agrees Paris. "He was cute though."

The three other girls murmur their agreement. They walk inside the school and head toward the main hallway. Susie Carmichael, Angelica's sometimes friend appears from the library. An African-American with long brown braids down her back and a cheerful look on her face, Susie heads straight for Angelica.

"Hey, Angelica!" she greets. "Brianna. Chelsea. Paris. You ready for the first day of school?"

"Perhaps," Angelica said, breaking away from the three girls. "Is Frumkin here with you?"

Susie's eyes narrowed. "No. He's still talking to Vice Principal Mandel. I wouldn't _dream_ of Harold and I embarrassing you on your first day of high school, Angelica. I know how _important _your image is to you."

"Sarcasm again, Carmichael?" Angelica said, stifling a yawn. "Look, you and Harold can be all high and mighty because that smarty-pants Acceleration Program bumped you two up a grade. You may _think _you're sophomores…but you're _still _freshmen in my book."

"Whatever you say, Angelica," Susie said, with a shrug. "See ya."

"Bye."

Angelica watches the other girl leave and shrugs. She turns to Brianna, Chelsea, and Paris. "Well, let's get this started, eh?"

To her word, the bell rings.

"Let's go." Angelica motions to her friends with a snap of her fingers.


	2. The Rugrats 7th Graders Meet Mr Stedwell

Tommy and the DeVille twins rush through the chaos of bumbling students trying to find their way to their homerooms. Tommy led Phil and Lil up the stairs toward the history wing, his heart beating in his chest. No one spoke amongst the trio, as they reach their destination.

They walk into Room 213, the classroom that contained their new homeroom. Tommy and the twins spot only three other students who had arrived on the early side. Tommy recognizes Trevor Horne among them. He waves friendlily at Trevor, who waves back. Two years ago, Trevor was the new kid who obsessed with copying and stealing Tommy's image. Now, Trevor is now a soccer player, playing on Phil and Lil's rec team with a friendly acquaintanceship with Tommy. Tommy figured that Trevor and the other students were all waiting anxiously to meet their homeroom teacher for the year. Like himself. Like Phil and Lil.

The room only contained a bookshelf full of history reference books and textbooks, an overhead projector at the front of the room, twenty-five student desks, and a long teacher's desk, with the American flag draped over. No trace of the teacher's personality could be found in the classroom itself, and Tommy knew he had no headway on the likeness of the teacher named Mr. Stedwell.

"A little nervous, aren't we?" Phil mutters, breaking the silence.

Tommy heads for a desk toward the back of the room. "Yeah. Pretty much. We don't even know what he's like, seeing as he's new."

"True that." Phil flops down in the desk next to Tommy. His twin rolls her eyes and takes a seat in the front row. "He might be some old guy from an university or one of those lame subs who decided to be a permament teacher."

"Maybe for the first one," Tommy said. "But don't know about the second theory. Of all the subs we've had, Phil, none of them are named Stedwell."

Phil nods. "Good point. He _must _be from out of town."

The two fall into silence, as more students arrive in the classroom, whispering excitedly amongst themselves. Tommy spots Dil Pickles among them, wearing his trademark sherpa hat with a cheerful look on his face. He walked in his also trademark backwards motion toward the second row seat, behind Lil. Tommy made a note to himself, to tell Dil of the lunch plans as soon as the class period ended.

Unfortunately for Dil, an austere looking man follows behind. Tommy holds his breath; this must be Mr. Stedwell, their new homeroom teacher. Mr. Stedwell, presumedly in a very annoyed mood, strides in with a briefcase in his hand. The man slams the case on the teacher's desk and scrutinizes his new homeroom students.

Tommy and the DeVilles observe their new homeroom/history teacher. Stedwell was pretty tall, a lot taller than any of their fathers. He was not old, nor young, but Tommy knew that he could be in his thirties or forties. His beige hair was cropped neatly, and he wore neat clothes to match, with dark slacks and suit. In Tommy's opinion, this teacher seemed a mix of a stern principal and a CEO.

"You, young man!" the man said. Tommy could detect a New England dialect in the teacher's sharp tone. Or maybe it was a posh lilt from the UK. Stedwell's eyes, black as night, fall on Dil.

The younger Pickles looks back at him with a curious gaze in his own hazel eyes. "Yes, sir?"

Stedwell's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What do you mean by walking into my classroom in a backwards motion?"

Phil snorts.

"I usually walk backwards," Dil said, with a shrug. "It's my thing."

The class chortles.

"Silence," the teacher hisses. The students immediately quieted.

"You could have truly gotten someone else hurt or perhaps even yourself, is that right?" Stedwell continues, striding toward his desk.

Dil shrugs again. "It's never been a problem before."

Most of the boys, including Phil snickered.

"Oh, _joy," _Stedwell said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "A smart aleck in the class. Tell me your name." He then takes out the role sheet from his briefcase.

Dil remains calm. "Dil Pickles."

Stedwell spots the name of the younger Pickles on the role sheet. "Well, _Dylan Pickles, _its a shame when someone bright and _intelligent _enough to be in the Acceleration Program for Gifted Students, would _stoop _to behave as such."

Dil stared at Stedwell, confused as to why he was being reprimanded.

Stedwell's eyes gleam with what Tommy believed was hatred. "Disgrace."

Tommy swallows. _God, please don't let Dil get in trouble on the first day of school in his first class._

Stedwell begins reading off the names on the roll. "Akins, Tamara."

"Here!"

"Babcock, Lucy."

"Here!"

"Blancas, Evan."

"Here!"

Stedwell approaches the Ds. "DeVille, Lillian."

Lil raises her hand. "Present."

Tommy believed he saw Stedwell roll his eyes. "DeVille, Phillip."

"Ova here, my good man."

Stedwell peers at Phil with a disgusted look on his face, and gazes back at the roll sheet. "Edwards, Tara."

"Here."

"Faulkner, Jeffrey."

"Here."

"Graham, Joseph."

"Here."

"Horne, Trevor."

"Here."

"Jackson, Caroline."

"Here."

"Lewis, Damien."

"Here."

"Lorner, Luana."

Silence.

"No Lorner?" Stedwell said, with a faux look of concern on his face. "Tsk, tsk, what a pity." He ticks off the name with an Absent. Tommy wondered if Luana Lorner got wind of this awful Mr. Stedwell and if she stayed away because of him.

Stedwell arrives at the Pickles in the roll. "Of course, our friend _Dylan _is here to _grace _us with his presence and apparently he has a brother. Pickles, Thomas!"

Tommy awkwardly raised his hand. "Here."

Stedwell finishes the roll. He then writes his name on the board, as soon as "Zeller, Tanner," was confirmed present.

"You will address me as Mr. Stedwell or "Sir", _only_. _Not _Stedwell. _Not _Mr. S. _Not _Steddy. Et cetera, et cetera."

Phil rolls his eyes to the ceiling. _This Stedwell dude must be insane to think that any first-year teacher could qualify as a big-shot._

"Now, this is homeroom, so I am required to go over the school handbook and pass out the-"

The door suddenly opened, cutting Stedwell off. A blonde girl wearing a loose-fitting turquoise dress rushes into the room. She was carrying a bag with the peace sign on it and made out of what Tommy believed was the hemp product used to make eco-clothes. Unlike most of the girls her age, the girl wore no makeup and her earrings seemed to resemble doves. Her long, wavy blonde hair was tied over her left shoulder with a rainbow cotton scrunchie. Clutching an excuse note in her hand, the girl gazes at the class with wide, protuberant blue-green eyes.

_The female Dil, _Tommy thought.

"What do you mean by interrupting me?" Stedwell snaps at the girl.

"Sorry, I'm late. My mother was caught up in traffic," the girl spoke up, holding her excuse note to Stedwell. Tommy figured that she also spoke in a New England dialect.

Stedwell swipes the note from her. "No excuse to be late to _my _class. Name?"

To Tommy's surprise, the girl seemed unfazed by Stedwell's acerbic nature. "Luana Lorner."

"Ah, yes. Miss. Lorner." Stedwell picks up his roll sheet and crosses out the "absent" next to her name, and replaces it with a check. "Sit down."

"Yes, sir." Luana stumbles awkwardly toward the empty desk right next to Dil.

"It's the first day. Cut the girl some slack!" Phil burst out. Tommy facepalms next to him. _Phil, no-_

Stedwell gazes at Phil with steely eyes. "Quite the contrary, Mr. _DeVille. _Miss. Lorner, here, _should_ have planned ahead, so that in the event that the _unexpected _were to happen, she would have been on time to my class."

Phil rolls his eyes, in response.

Stedwell places the roll sheet on his desk, and continues his lecture. "Now as I was saying-"

Tommy and Phil whisper amongst themselves, while Stedwell drones on about homeroom business.

"Who does this guy think he is? The king of the world?" Phil complains.

Tommy couldn't even begin to answer his friend's complaint.

"He's not gonna last long in _this _school, I can bet you that!" Phil continues in an angry hiss. "He's probably from some hotshot private school in England or something."

Tommy keeps his gaze on the blackboard, as if to pay attention to Stedwell. "Probably."

"I wonder if they beat the students where he comes from."

Tommy gulps. "I hope not."

"Mr. Pickles? Mr. DeVille? Do you have something to share with the class?" Stedwell bellowed from the front of the room.

"No, sir," Tommy mutters, his stomach tightening into a knot.

"Then I suggest that the both of you keep your mouths shut, hmm?"

The two slink back in their seats, praying that this horror of a class would just end.

* * *

><p>Kimi heads toward her newly assigned locker, her head still buzzing from Miss. O'Keats' homeroom. Now passing period between third and fourth, Kimi switches her books out. <em>Lunch is just one short period away.<em> Chuckie appears around the bend, waving.

She smiles at her brother. "Hey, Chuck! How was your morning?"

"Uneventful." Chuckie scratches the back of his head. "I think I can kill Geometry. You?"

"Uh- it's good so far. Miss. O'Keats is…uh…interesting."

Chuckie grins. "You'll get used to her. Just think of her as an adult female version of Dil."

"Yeah. Although Dil obsesses over aliens and Miss. O'Keats likes quoting poetry and talking about her New Age belief systems."

The Finster siblings laugh.

"So, have you had Stedwell yet?" Chuckie then asks.

Kimi's brow furrows. "No. Why?"

"Word around the school is that he's tough, I mean really, really tough," Chuckie said, with a fearful gaze in his green eyes. "I saw Tommy coming out of second period. I ask him about Stedwell, and his face immediately turns pasty white…like he saw a ghost."

Kimi clucks. "Dang! Poor Tommy. Stedwell's class must have been _really_ bad. It's a good thing you're in eighth/ninth grade, Chuck."

Chuckie shudders. "Yeah. I don't think I would last ten minutes with a teacher like _that."_

"Considering you had Pangborn for gym?" Kimi said, with a twinkle in her dark eyes. "Yeah, it _is _a good thing you don't have Stedwell."

Chuckie's face turns beet-red. "Gee, thanks, Kimi."

Kimi flashes a smile. "Always happy to cheer you up, big bro."

"Chuckie! Kimi!" a female voice cries from across the hall. "Thank _God _I found you two before the warning bell!"

The two Finster siblings turn to see Lil, out of breath, running up toward them.

"Guys!" Lil puffs. "Guys...you _can not _believe...My God."

"Lil?" Kimi said, reaching out a hand to her best friend. "What's happening?"

Lil catches her breath, as she grasps Kimi's hand. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Chuckie demands, his eyebrows lifted in impatience.

"Stedwell did the most _aggro_ thing ever!" Lil burst out. She turns toward Chuckie. "By the way Chuckie, your face is red."

"Ugggh, _still?!" _Chuckie groans, as he turns away from the girls.

"What happened, Lil?" Kimi presses.

Lil exhales a deep breath. "Stedwell gave some guy detention for being ten minutes late to his third period class! Nick Lanson, who _never _gets in trouble."

"On the first day of school?" Kimi exclaims. "You are kidding me. Poor Nick."

"I'm not kidding. I would _never _kid about something like this. _And-_ you won't believe what he did in homeroom."

"What?" Chuckie spoke, still shading his face.

_"_He tormented Dil in homeroom today," Lil responds. "And he gave this new girl, Luana Lorner, a hard time for coming to class late. She had a note and everything. Anyway, I _definitely_ think he hates me, Phil and Tommy."

Kimi purses her lips. "The guy is sadistic."

"You couldn't have said it better than that, Kim. When do you have him?"

"Fourth period," groaned Kimi. "Which is right up next. Any advise for someone who hasn't met him yet?"

Lil shrugs. "Here's the gist of it, Kimi. Speak only when spoken to and obey all the rules."

"Heh," Kimi said, rolling her eyes. "Don't worry, Lil. I got it."

The two minute warning bell rings, and the friends head off in different directions.


	3. Dil and Chuckie Make New Friends

The bell rings to signal the start of lunch period. Dil leaves his fourth period English class and strides up the stairs toward the history wing. Walking slowly to his locker, Dil thought he heard a vaguely familiar voice calling his name.

"Dylan? Dylan! Hey Dylan!"

Dil whips around to meet the blonde girl who had come late to homeroom. He immediately wonders what Luana Lorner, the new girl, would want with him…the outcast who obsessed over aliens.

_She doesn't know yet, Dil. She doesn't know. _

Luana Lorner places her hemp bag on the floor next to him and starts cracking the combination on the locker next to him. Dil scoots away to make space.

"You're okay," Luana said. "Wicked that we're locker neighbors, eh?"

Dil nods. "Yeah. Cool."

The two switch their books in silence. Both Dil and Luana exchange looks, now closing their respective lockers simultaneously.

Both burst out in laughter.

"Whoa…wow…" Dil gasps between pearls of laughter. "We both switched our books and shut our lockers at the _same_ _exact_ _time_."

"I know!" Luana said, now snickering. "It's quite peculiar…or maybe not."

"I guess." Dil cracks a smile. Luana Lorner was like no one else that he had met…at least no one his own age. The mere fact that she stood up to Stedwell on the first day of school impressed him. Dil figured that Luana was about ten or eleven due to her small height. He wondered if she was in the Acceleration program with him. Vice Principal Pangborn had mentioned that there were a couple of students who didn't make it to orientation that morning and that they would have to come during lunch or after-school to make it up.

Dil smiles inwardly. For the last two years, Pangborn started to be more lenient, especially with Dil and the Gifted students, although retaining his severe Vice Principal personality to students who messed around. Dil figured it may have to do with Pangborn's blossoming relationship with Miss. O'Keats.

Luana holds a hand to Dil, breaking him from his thoughts. "My name is Luana, if you don't already know. You're Dylan, right?"

"Yeah. Dil Pickles. You're new here, right?"

Luana nods. "We moved here from Massachusetts."

"Massachusetts?" Dil said, gathering his backpack. "So, you flew all the way, cross-country?"

"Pretty much. We actually drove, though."

Dil's mouth flies open in shock. "You _drove?"_

"Oh, yes. Dad drove us for almost a week."

Dil blinks. _This girl is something else. She said it without a beat. No tiredness or nothing._

"How do you like California so far?" he then asks. The two start for the cafeteria.

"California is...interesting," Luana replies, clutching onto her hemp bag. "I always thought that California was a state filled with plastics and movie stars."

Dil laughs. "Those kind of people are mainly found in LA. Here, in San Bernardino County, it's a lot more…normal. There's a select few from LA and the other big cities who actually come to this area to get away from all the nonsense."

"Ah, I see. Where do you fit?"

"Me?"

Luana smiles. "You walk backwards, wear a sherpa hat, and have this infectious personality. You are not the picture of a stereotype Californian."

"I guess not," Dil said, musing. "Although, I have a cousin who fits into the stereotype. Don't tell her I said that. Angelica is the type to threaten my life if I ever said that about her."

Luana laughs a little. "She sounds unpleasant. I take it, she's your older cousin."

"Yeah. By three years. She's a freshman at Winona High School. We're safe for the most part."

"Ah. Does she ridicule you quite often?"

"Heh! All the time it seems. She has been since me, my brother, and our friends were babies."

Luana gasps. "How appalling! I can relate; I have been through it myself."

Dil stops by the cafeteria doors. "Really?"

"Oh yes. People used to borrow my things without permission. Quite rude, to be blunt."

_People stole from her? _Dil thought, bewildered. _This girl is so nice…_

He and Luana walk into the cafeteria, in companionable silence. Dil heads for the lunch line with Luana walking beside him with her brightly colored lunch bag.

"You know, Angelica's always been calling me a weirdo," Dil said, as the lunch lady fills up his lunch tray. "I could say it fits."

"I disagree," Luana said. "What about your brother? Thomas?"

"Tommy? Oh, he's pretty accepting to a point. We're cool." He turns to the lunch lady. "Thanks, Gertrude."

"Of course, Angelica picks on him, as well," Dil now said to Luana, as he heads toward the register with his lunch money. "I mean, just for the mere reason that he's younger and all." He then pays for his lunch.

"Here you are, Mrs. Stevens."

"Have a good day now, Dylan."

The two head for the lunch tables, where most of the younger student body gathered to eat their lunch.

"Dil! Hey, Dil!" Tommy's voice booms through the cafeteria. He and the DeVilles approach the two.

"You comin', Dil?" Phil wants to know.

"To eat with you?" Dil raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah-" Tommy trails off. "Um, I forgot to bring it up after first period today. I was so freaked about that Stedwell."

"It's cool, T. Stedwell's nothing," Dil waves a dismissive hand. "You know Luana Lorner from our homeroom."

"Hello, Thomas. Phillip. Lillian," Luana greets, with a friendly wave.

Tommy and the twins answer with awkward waves.

"Uh-?" Lil motions at her, her face reddening with embarrassment.

"Luana Lorner," Luana said patiently, with a gentle lilt of her voice. "Dylan's friend, and I'm in your homeroom."

Dil's ears perked up. _Friend_? After only chatting for a few minutes? He'll take it. She is more like him, than any of the other kids he knew.

"Oh! _Oh!" _Phil suddenly burst out. "_You're _that girl who came in and put Stedwell in his place."

"Well, she _did _seem unaffected by his pompous so-called 'authority,'" Lil said. "Sorry that we're…spacey. Miss. O'Keats' class."

Dil nods in understanding. Knowing the seventh and eighth grade English teacher and her eccentric and emotional personality for two years now, Dil figured that the woman's teaching methods were a breeze compared to Stedwell's…and Mrs. Guppy's to an extent. Not like he didn't appreciate the sixth and seventh grade science teacher…

"It's quite alright, Lillian," Luana spoke with a giggle at the DeVille girl's use of air quotes. "I'm pleased to meet Dylan's brother and his friends."

"Uh-Dil?" Phil said, gazing at the two younger students with a bemused look on his face. "You gonna come to lunch with us or what?"

Dil turns quickly toward Luana and back toward the others. "Uh- I was kind of hoping that I'd hang with Luana- just get to know her a little better."

Tommy and Phil nod, with confused gazes.

"It's alright, Dil," Lil said kindly. "It's nice to see you're making a new friend."

"Thanks, Lil. I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Sure, Dil," Tommy said, breaking from his reverie. "See ya."

"Nice to meet you, Luana," Phil said.

Luana smiles. "Likewise."

With his lunch in hands, Dil heads outside with Luana toward the patio area. Tommy and the twins, in turn, exchange looks while waiting for their lunch.

"Wow, I never thought Dil would make a new friend _that _quickly, and- and with a _girl!" _Lil comments.

"Stranger things have happened," Phil shakes his head. "And what's with the calling us by our formal names?"

"Let's just be happy for him, guys," Tommy said, with a far-away look in his blue eyes.

Dil, meanwhile, stops at an empty table by the trees and far enough from the crowd of students at the outdoor patio

"You've found a _perfect _spot, Dylan," Luana said, following closely behind him.

The two sit down at the table. Dil takes a bite of the mystery meat on his lunch tray. Opposite him, Luana unpacks her lunch bag taking out plastic containers full of strange foods that Dil had never seen before.

"So," Dil starts, hoping to get his mind of the questionable lunch. "You in seventh grade?"

"I'm actually in sixth grade," Luana responds. "I'm in the Acceleration Program for Gifted Students."

Dil's face brightens. "So am I!"

"I truly hope Mr. Pangborn isn't upset that I didn't come to the orientation."

"He won't be," Dil said. "He'll understand, especially since you're new. He won't go aggro, like Stedwell. Plus, me and Pangborn are tight, so I'll even go with you to explain. We can go now or after-school."

Luana grins. "We can go after-school. Mom and Dad won't get off work for another hour after school gets out."

Dil smiles back. "Cool. We can go talk to Pangborn, and maybe you could come to the Java Lava. We always go there after-school. My friend Chuckie's parents own the place with Phil and Lil's mom."

"Wicked!" Luana said. "Let's make a plan of it. I'll call my mom after we talk to Mr. Pangborn."

The two slap palms and began eating their lunch.

"Uh, Dylan?" Luana utters.

"Yeah?"

"May I ask you a question that _may _be personal?"

"Shoot." Dil takes a bite of potatoes. _Okay, by the usual school lunch standards._

"I've noticed that you don't really associate with the sixth graders," Luana spoke, fiddling her hands on her lap.

Dil shrugs. "Nope. I've never been popular here at school. Tommy is my brother and his friends- hang out with me, since they've known me through him, you know?"

"Ah, yes. So you never made a friend on your own?"

"Unless that friend was an imaginary alien friend? No."

Luana makes a face. "Oh. That's too bad. How about I become your unimaginary human friend?"

Dil smiles, nodding. "Okay. Sure. Luana Lorner, Dil Pickles' unimaginary human friend. I like it. Uh, what's that stuff you're eating?"

"Hummus and tabbouleh," Luana replies. "You want some?"

"A bite. So, you're a vegetarian?"

"Yes. My whole family is. We tried to be vegan for a year, but we were unsuccessful. We need our milk, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you," Dil agrees. "Chuckie's the closest I know that has a strict diet, since he's allergic to a lot of things."

Luana points at the slab of mystery meat on Dil's lunch tray. "And what is _that _you are eating there, Dylan?"

"Mystery meat," Dil said, poking at his lunch.

"Ah- _interesting._"

Dil's brow furrows at his companion's musings. "What?"

"How can a school get away with serving meals like this?"

"It's cheaper, I guess," Dil said, shrugging.

"It's a travesty, Dylan." Luana shock her head. "A _travesty."_

"You make a good point. I mean, how do you know that there's no toxic waste in this thing?"

Luana laughs. "Hopefully, you won't succumb to it."

"I know. There might a lawsuit or something."

Luana then passed the hummus dish to Dil. "Would you like some of my lunch?"

"Really? More than a bite?"

"Yes! Just try it, Dylan. You'll like it."

"Okay, I suppose." Dil spreads some of the hummus on pita bread and tastes it. "Hm- this is good!"

"Ah, you like it then?"

"Yeah. This stuff is great."

"Wicked. I'll just get my mom to pack extra tomorrow."

"She won't mind?"

Luana smiles, as she passes more pita bread to Dil. "No, no, no. She _loves_ doing stuff like this."

"Okay," Dil said. "So, we're going to be sitting together tomorrow?"

"Well, that's what friends do, right?"

Dil smiles. _Other than that Stedwell, this school year is off to an awesome start. _"Right."

* * *

><p>While Dil and Luana break the ice at their isolated table, Chuckie and Kimi along with Tommy and the twins gather at their usual table near the door and far away from the crowd of students. This location was installed in place since the first day of fifth grade. Kimi now ranted on about the stern and unfair Mr. Stedwell, who's class she had just got out of.<p>

"And _then _he had the utter _nerve _to mock my name!" Kimi throws up her hands. "I'm _Japanese_ for Pete's sake! So, it would be utterly and completely normal to have a name like mine!"

Chuckie swallows. _Boy, am I glad to be in eighth grade._

Lil shakes her head, lips pursed with disgust. "I have no idea what Principal McKinney saw in him to hire him to this position."

"What's the point of complaining?" Phil said, with a shrug. "We never see McKinney anyways."

"Still, Vice Principal Pangborn should have done something!" Kimi's voice rose with frustration. "It's an _embarrassment_ to have a teacher like _him_ teaching us!"

Tommy and Phil chortle.

"Sorry, Kimi, but we _know_ Pangborn," Chuckie sighs, pushing his food around. "He would have been happy to hire a jerk like Stedwell."

"Typical! Just typical!"

"Relax Kim. He ain't gonna last long anyway," Phil assures, as his twin pats Kimi's back to placate her. "I'm sure someone, somehow, will make the guy crack and he'll do something so bad, he'll get fired."

"Maybe."

Tommy remains silent. Chuckie wondered if he was still worried about Dil or about that Stedwell guy.

"What's wrong, Tommy?" he spoke. "Still worried about Dil?"

"Uh-"

"He'll be fine. He's with a new friend."

Tommy peeks over near the trees, where Dil and Luana talk animatedly amongst each other. "Yeah. I know. It's just-"

"He'll be fine, Tommy," Kimi, still in a nasty mood, snipes at him. "Quit worrying."

Tommy nods. "Alright."

Chuckie heaves a sigh from his end of the table. "Well, it's a quarter past noon. I guess I better get going before I miss my bus." His stomach twists into a knot at the thought of going to Winona High School for his afternoon classes.

_Why do I even bother? Maybe I should miss the bus, and go to the rest of the eighth grade classes. I'll tell the teachers that there was a mistake in the computers and-_

"Good luck at the high school with Ange, Chuck!" Phil said cheerfully.

Chuckie uttered a long moan. _Or maybe I should play hooky to avoid the inevitable humiliation._

"Relax, Chuck. You'll do great," Kimi assures her brother. "Just- if you see Angelica and if she bothers you in any way, ignore her."

"Easy for you to say," Chuckie said, with a waver to his voice. "You don't have to spend a half day at the same school as her."

"_Bonne chance,_ bro."

Chuckie sighs, as he gets up from the table. He then gathers his books and heads for the bus area. _Go or stay here? Go or stay here? Come on, Chuckie, think. Think!_

_ "_Finster!"

Chuckie jumps at the familiar gravelly rumble of Estes Pangborn, Jim Jr Middle School's longtime vice principal. Swallowing, he turns around to meet the tall, thickset Pangborn.

He growls. "You ought to be at that bus stop right now, Finster. It leaves in 1230 hours."

"I know, sir," Chuckie said, twiddling his hands nervously at Pangborn's scary tone and use of military time. "But I was hoping that perhaps I could take my afternoon classes at a…different high school in the district?"

"What's the matter with you, Finster?!" Pangborn demands. "What is so _scary_ about Winona High School?"

"Everything?" Chuckie said in a squeak, as the unpleasant memories of Angelica Pickles flickers in his mind. Even though Pangborn somewhat softened over the past two years, especially toward the Gifted students, Chuckie couldn't help but cower in his presence. Maybe Pangborn would never forget Chuckie's fifth and sixth grade years in which he kept breaking the rules to appease his classmates.

"Toughen up, Finster!" Pangborn bellows, breaking Chuckie out of his thoughts. "You will be at Winona High School _full time, _once you graduate at the end of this school year. You need to get over your fears and _buck up!"_

"Yes, sir," Chuckie said, weakly.

"And don't get _any _ideas about _playing hooky _or _going to all the eighth grade classes. _I'll be watching you, Finster!"

Chuckie gulps. "Yes, Mr. Pangborn, sir. I'll get right on the bus, sir."

"Excellent!" Pangborn said, with a growl. "Good luck, Finster."

"Thanks." Chuckie stuffs his hands in his pockets and walks out to the bus area. He spots one other person at the bus stop. Trembling, Chuckie glances at his wristwatch. 12:20. The bus would be here at twelve thirty to take him and the few other gifted seventh and eighth graders in the program to the high school for their afternoon classes, that they would have to take with ninth grade students.

Ninth grade. Angelica's grade level. As if it was bad enough that Chuckie and Angelica had at least one class together all throughout middle school.

He sits down next to the other person at the stop, a pensive young girl about the same age as himself, with her nose in a thick novel. The girl's long wavy chestnut hair hung far past her shoulders and she wore a conservative flannel skirt and matching plain colored top, quite the contrast to his unconventional, arty sister and even Lil, who often wore fashionable dresses or sporty soccer shorts according to her mood. Chuckie remembered seeing the girl at the orientation for the acceleration program. Other than that, Chuckie had never see her before. He guessed she was new.

_Now, what was her name? Dang it, Chuckie, you were too busy thinking about Angelica to even pay attention, eh?_

"H-hi," he mumbles shyly to her.

"Hello," she responds, also shy, not looking up from her book. Chuckie noticed that she spoke a dialect found in Australia or New Zealand. At least, he _thought._

Silence passes between the two, as the girl kept reading her book. Several other gifted kids showed up, including Chetwin Sedgwick, who nods curtly at his direction. Chuckie nods back, feeling slightly more comfortable. Although he mightily enjoyed spending time with Tommy, Dil, Kimi and the twins, Chuckie especially felt at ease with his fellow "nerds." They had gone through generations of ridicule and torment from the popular kids (i.e. cheerleaders and jocks), Angelica included.

He turns back toward the new girl, who did not seem bothered by his presence. She did not seem the stereotypical "nerd," in Chuckie's opinion. Then again, Susie Carmichael is no nerd, and she gets the highest grades of her class…

"Uh- are you new?" he tries again with the new girl.

"Huh?" the girl looks up, now finally paying attention to him. Chuckie had to hold his breath for a second. This girl seemed particularly pretty- naturally pretty- since she wore no make up or lip gloss, like Angelica and Lil would. Her eyes, Chuckie noticed, were a glimmering amber.

She blushes. "I'm s-sorry. I was so deep into reading, I did not even notice you."

"You said 'hi," Chuckie stumbles over his words. "I do that all the time, you know, I'm working on something or I'm reading something- and I somehow block out all of- my surroundings, you know?"

_ Real smooth Chuckie._

The girl smiles. "My name is Harmonie Rainn Gillett." She breaks off with a sheepish laugh. "Don't mind the name- my parents were Bohemians. Believe me, my younger brother got worse."

Chuckie nods in understanding. There were some kids at school that had names associated with hippies, seeing as they live here in California…

"I'm Chuckie Finster," he manages. "So, you _are _new to the neighborhood?"

"Uh-huh. My family and I moved here from Sydney, Australia, where we lived for the past three or so years. We're originally from Sonoma, California."

"I know Sonoma," Chuckie said, now recognizing the name. "Dad says my birth mother was from there. I'm from- here in San Bernardino County. Are you in the acceleration program also?"

"Yeah. I'm supposed to be in Year eight, but I take high school classes half the day."

"I'm in eighth grade too!" Chuckie burst out. "I mean I started out in the year below me, but then I got pushed up to- the year above."

"That's great! I haven't really made any friends yet. It's- been pretty hard."

_Why would it be hard for a pretty, yet intelligent girl like her to make friends? "_That's horrible. Makes me feel pretty grateful for my friends. There's my sister, Kimi, my best friend Tommy, his brother Dil who's also in the acceleration program, and Phil and Lil." Chuckie ticks off the names. "They're all in seventh grade- Dil's technically in sixth- but in seventh nevertheless. And then, there's Susie Carmichael and Harold Frumkin, who go to the high school."

The girl next to him smiles, causing Chuckie's heart to skip a beat. "I would like to meet them all."

"Sure you can. They're all really nice. Maybe if you want to go downtown, you can stop by my dad's coffeehouse. My friends and I always go there after-school and on the weekends."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind. So, what classes do you have?"

The pair then compare schedules.

"Ninth grade Honors English, Biology, and Honors Spanish 2," Chuckie responds.

"Ah! We have English and Biology together!" she exclaims.

Chuckie's heart lifts. _Yes! _"What's your other class?"

"Precalculus."

Chuckie stares at her with a dumbfounded look on his face, his mouth now gaping open. "You're kidding."

"I am not kidding," Harmonie said, calmly. "Look at the schedule."

"But- how?" Chuckie splutters. "You're only- well- eighth grade age and Pre-Cal is usually taken by eleventh and twelfth graders even!"

Harmonie shrugs in response. "I was home-schooled with my brother from age three until eleven. We attended private school for a couple years in Australia before we moved here. If it was up to my academic standards, I'd graduate high school by the time I would turn fifteen."

"Wow!" Chuckie exclaims. "The _only_ person I know who graduated high school that early was Edwin, my friend Susie's brother."

"Sadly, It's not up to me what grade I'm in," Harmonie said, with a wistful sigh. "My parents, bless them, worry about me enough as it is. This program could be opportune for me. I'll still be in "eighth grade," but I'll still graduate high school early, at seventeen, and probably have enough credits to finish university in three-and-a-half years or even less than that."

"That's pretty good," Chuckie said. "Mr. Pangborn and Miss. O'Keats want the program to help us Gifted students, without keeping us totally apart from those our age. So, you take school seriously?"

"Very seriously."

Chuckie turns toward the other direction, with hands clasped together. _"Thank you!"_

He turns back to Harmonie. "I wonder if the bus will ever get here."

"It's here now," she said. She points toward the bus pick up, as a smaller version of a school bus finally appears to take them to Winona High School. "Come on. You can sit next to me."

He nervously follows her on the bus and they both sit toward the front of the bus. The others then get on. The grumpy looking old bus driver that reminded Chuckie of a less friendly version of Tommy's Grandpa Lou drives them away from Jim Junior Middle and closer toward Winona High.

Closer to Angelica.

"Are you all right, Chuckie? Do you get motion sickness?" Harmonie speaks up.

_God, she's so nice to notice. I appreciate her concern, but I can't go through with telling her about Angelica. I just won't._ "No, no. I took my medicine just as lunch period was over. I'm- just-"

"It's okay to be nervous," Harmonie pats his shoulder. "Any freshman who's starting at high school gets nervous, Chuckie."

"Yeah," Chuckie mumbles with a whimper. _Not every freshman has to deal with the like of Angelica. _"I'll be tormented for sure." Chuckie looks out the window, his stomach churning.

"Who torments you?" Harmonie murmurs, still concerned.

_There was no hiding anything from Harmonie Rainn Gillett. She's a lot like Susie in that way. _"My best friend Tommy's cousin Angelica," he said, exhaling a sharp breath. "She is the perfect example of the mean, but vain witch who wants to date shallow but good-looking jocks, shops compulsively, and ridicules anyone who doesn't follow her example-i. e. me and my friends, but especially ME!"

Chuckie heaves a deep breath. _Great. I just blurted out my feelings about Angelica. Harmonie's gonna hate me for sure._

After taking a whiff on his inhaler, he mumbles an apology.

"It's okay, Chuckie," Harmonie said, gently. "I was bullied too."

Chuckie raises an eyebrow. "Who would bully you? You're so nice, and so smart."

"Exactly the reasons why I was bullied. I was seen as a loser know-it-all."

"I don't think you're a loser know-it-all."

Harmonie smiles, with what Chuckie believed was relief. "I'm glad. And- don't worry about this Angelica. We'll just stick together, that way we'll seem less vulnerable to the popular kids."

"Okay."

Chuckie instantly felt better. Angelica or no, Chuckie might just get through the afternoons at the high school with Harmonie, Susie Carmichael, and Harold Frumkin around.

* * *

><p><em>*Thanks so much for the reviews so far. I feel MUCH happier with this new rewrite of the old 2011 fic. Please, please don't be shy-read and review. Note: No pairings will be endgame in this first story in the series. After all, the members of the Rugrats group are only 11-14 years old. (Plus, I'm sure Tommy and Phil both learned their lessons about rushing into romantic relationships).*<em>


	4. Enter Lucas Dalton Merrington II

_*A/N: I want to wish all my followers/reviewers a very happy New Year. I'm not doing much; just watching the ball drop on midnight. I'm always up for any constructive reviews. Anyway, without further do, here is Chapter 4.*_

* * *

><p><em>Heh, heh. Look who it is. The loser brace-face. <em>Angelica, standing at the entrance of Winona High School, peers out toward the two figures striding toward the front steps. She recognized one of the two as Chuckie Finster, the current bane of her existence. Her eyes narrow at the sight of the other person with him. The girl wore her deep red-brown hair down past her shoulders. Angelica cringes at the sight of this girl's plain blouse and flannel skirt. _Where does she think she is…some sort of private school or Catholic school? And that hairstyle…ugh! Finster has that puppy-dog look on his face when he's crushing on someone who's _clearly _out of his league. _

_ Except this girl could be a geek and a loser like him._

The two approach the school, with the other few gifted students trailing behind. Angelica smiles evilly, and strides outside. Chuckie and the new girl stop in their tracks.

She crosses her arms and locks gazes with the trembling thirteen-year-old boy in front of her. "Hey, Finster! Who's your new geek friend?"

Chuckie's face reddens with embarrassment, as he utters a whimper. _Good, _thought Angelica.

The girl with bad fashion taste stands defiantly next to Chuckie with a strange gaze in her amber eyes. "My name is Harmonie Gillett."

"_Harmonie?!" _Angelica burst out laughing. "What…are your parents like hippies or something?"

"Precisely," the girl, Harmonie, responds with a calm smile. "You must be Angelica. I've heard all about you."

Angelica raises an eyebrow. "Oh? And what has Finster been telling you about me?"

"It's none of your business, Angelica!" Chuckie burst out, trembling like a leaf. "In case you haven't heard, I made a new friend…one who seems to like me for me, unlike _some people _who only make friends based on the _right _style of their clothing or whether their parents make a lot of money!"

"That's _real _cute, Finster," Angelica drawls, rolling her eyes. "So, you made a new friend. Big deal. What, is she a big a nerd as you?"

"'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words will never hurt me,'" Harmonie bravely quotes.

"I rest my case," Angelica said, with a scoff. She turns away and starts for the double doors.

"You know, I've heard a lot of unpleasant things about you, Angelica," Harmonie starts. Angelica whips around to meet the upstart little nerd.

"_What _did you _just _say to me, you tasteless private school wannabe?" she hisses, shaking with anger.

"Oh, dear," Harmonie said, shaking her head. "I believed that high schoolers seemed more _creative _and wittier with their insults. I suppose I was wrong then."

Chuckie fights to keep himself from bursting out with laughter. Angelica's face reddens.

"I don't like that you've been picking on my friend, Chuckie, here."

Chuckie's ears perk up and his own face reddens. _Friend?_

"-I think it is cruel and malicious on your part," Harmonie continues, as Angelica seethes. "I believe it may be a indication of jealousy. Perhaps it is because you are not as kind and thoughtful as Chuckie."

"Don't forget Susie," Chuckie pipes up. "Angelica's always been jealous of her…ever since pre-school."

"You keep your big mouth _out of it, _Finster!" Angelica snarls. "And _you-" _she rounds on Harmonie, who didn't even blink. "You better watch your step, you little bitch!"

With a stony look in her eyes, Harmonie turns to Chuckie. "Let's go, Chuckie. I think Angelica needs to be alone."

With a frustrated growl, Angelica swivels around and burst through the doors. _I have to get away from this nerd-fest._ With her heart beating fast, she stomps through the main hallway and toward the cafeteria. Most of the student body was still eating their lunch; the bell to signal passing period between lunch and fifth period wouldn't ring for another twenty minutes.

Angelica spots Susie Carmichael outside of the library, now talking to Finster and that Harmonie girl. Harold was nowhere to be seen, and Angelica wondered if he was still in the library. Narrowing her eyes, she turns away from the geeky trio. _Of course Carmichael would hang out with losers like Harold, Finster and that Gillett. When will she get it straight and hang out with me and the other popular kids?_

_ Whatever. Why should I give a damn about Carmichael or _any _of them? I'm the most popular freshman girl in school, and no one's gonna ruin my fun._

Angelica strides toward the freshmen popular table, now occupied by Brianna, Chelsea, Paris, Sean, and Justin. A few other kids sat nearby- the _second tier, _she believed.

"Hey, Ange!" Sean greets. "Wanna sit down?"

Angelica's face brightens. "Of course! I would _love _to hear _all _about your summer in Hawaii."

"Sure thing, sure thing."

Angelica listens with a half-awake gaze in her eyes, as Sean drones on about his surfing lessons from an Hawaiian legend. _Hawaii. Such paradise. _Angelica heaves a wistful sigh. _I feel so cursed living in a loser town like Winona, California. I wish I could live in LA, not some boring little town just outside Yucaipa. Someday…someday…I'll be rich and famous. I'll live in LA, with a vacation house in Hawaii. Or Aspen-_

"Is there room for one more?" an unfamiliar boy's voice breaks Angelica from her fantasizing. She glances up to see that blond kid who had ran into her this morning. She grits her teeth; that new kid had been in a couple of classes so far. In all of the classes they shared, that kid kept brown-nosing to all the teachers and even the other kids. Brown-nosing was _her _thing!

"Buzz off, loser!" she barks. "Who do you think you are? You think that I _know _you?"

The boy's eyes narrow. "You think to talk to me, Lucas Dalton Remington Merrington the second, in that tone?"

"Lucas Dalton Remington Merrington II?" Angelica burst out laughing. "Geez, why don't you go back to that private school for rich kids, eh?"

"How about you, Angelica Pickles?" the boy said, with a sneer. "What kind of surname is _Pickles_ anyway?_"_

_ "_It's American, Mr. Hotshot." Angelica glares at him. She was definitely not in the mood for any more drama, now that Finster and that new girlfriend of his are now in the same school as she is.

"Hey, hey, Ange," Brianna speaks up. "Dalton. Chillax. There's _plenty _of room for the both of you, hmm?"

Dalton flashes a smile toward the girl's direction. "Thank you, Brianna."

Brianna blushes, as Paris and Chelsea giggle. Dalton sits down next to Sean, who turns to Justin to whisper something urgently. Angelica fumes, as the minutes tick by.

"Merrington!" she snaps. "Can we talk…in private?"

Dalton's icy blue eyes gleam. "I thought you would never ask, Pickles." He turns to the other girls. "'Cuse me, ladies." He then nods at Sean and Justin's direction. "Gentlemen."

Rolling her eyes, Angelica walks off with Dalton walking beside her.

"What do you mean by hanging around with _my _friends?" she demands of him. "What, are you _this _bored that you would come to _my _school and butter up _all _of the teachers, before _I _get a chance to?"

Dalton chuckles. "Is that _all _you have to say to me, Pickles? Tsk, tsk, you pathetic public school schoolgirls are all the same."

"Look who's talking!" Angelica motions at him. "Why are _you _at this school?!"

"For your _information, _I did not particularly choose to go to this atrocious school," Dalton responds, with a hiss. "My mother, insane as she is, wanted to put me here, for it is closer to home than the school I _originally _wanted to attend."

Angelica makes a face. "Aww, so sorry. I don't care." She starts for the lockers, with Dalton rushing behind her.

"That was the worst bit of sarcasm I have ever heard," he said.

Angelica laughs in his face. "Newsflash, I don't care. I'm just not a nice person. Get it?"

"_Newsflash_… I think the words you're saying are rubbish."

"Ugh!" Angelica said, with a disgusted look on her face. "Why don't you do yourself _and _me a favor, and keep out of my life…and _that _includes my friends. Here's the first rule about public school, okay? The fact that you're from a rich family- it doesn't matter. You have to _earn _your popularity, like I have."

"Please!" Dalton responds with a chortle. "Don't make me laugh. You _earned _your popularity? You believe those vapid _people _at that table are your _friends?! _They all flocked to you, because Savannah Shannon moved to Florida."

Disgust turns into shock. "How'd- How'd you know about…Savannah?" Angelica splutters.

That rich boy merely smirks in response. "I observe the other losers in our grade level. Apparently, they were desperate for a popular leader to replace Savannah. Sad…Brianna Milo seems to have more potential."

Angelica's face reddens. ""You _dare _to insult me?"

"Yes. I dare. Now, if you excuse me, I ought to get back to the popular table. I'd invite you to come along, but I can see that you need some time alone."

"This isn't over, Merrington!" Angelica spat.

"Ah, but it has only just began, Pickles. Ta-ta." Dalton waggles his fingers, as he turns away and heads back to the cafeteria.

_ Exit Savannah Shannon. Enter Dalton Merrington. _Emitting a frustrated growl, Angelica gives the lockers a good kick.

"Careful," a boy's deep voice utters. "You might get in trouble for that."

Angelica grits her teeth. "_Listen, you little-" _She whips around to meet the concerned blue-green gaze of Harold Frumkin, her sometimes friend since pre-school.

"_Harold?!" _she burst out. "I-I-where's your…lisp?"

Harold raises an eyebrow, wearing a look of amusement on his face. "My…lisp?"

"Yes, Harold Frumkin. That permanent lisp you developed in pre-school."

"Permanent no longer," Harold said, with a sheepish grin. Angelica observes the young man and noticed that his ginger curls had grown toward his shoulders. Harold, always tall and lanky for his age, seemed to have grown a foot since last year. "It's gone now, thanks to three months of speech therapy."

"You spent the _entire _summer in speech therapy?" Angelica exclaims, still recovering from her earlier shock.

"Yep. Three days a week. So, are you okay?"

Angelica groans. "No. My day was going great until that _Finster _kid showed up with his new _girlfriend!"_

"You mean Chuckie's new friend? Harmonie?"

"_Yes."_

Harold sits down with his back against the lockers and pats the spot next to him. "Why don't you sit down here and tell me what happened?"

Angelica sits down next to him, with a heavy sigh. She pours out every detail of her encounter with Chuckie Finster and that jumped up Harmonie Gillett, and her immediate confrontation with Lucas Dalton Remington Merrington II.

"-and _he _has the total nerve to come over here and try and take _my _friends and _my _popularity that I've worked _so _hard to obtain!"

Harold pats her shoulder. "Just let it out, Angelica. Let out your feelings."

"What should I do?" Angelica appeals to the boy sitting next to her. "What should I do, Harold?"

"Nothing," Harold said, with a shrug. "Look, Angelica. Dalton Merrington may _seem _like a threat, but is he _really? _He probably wants to get to know _you, _as well as your friends. He's probably hiding his true feelings behind a tough, arrogant exterior."

"Heh. A rich boy full of himself?"

"You never know. Look at you. You may seem all selfish and mean, but deep inside-"

"Shut it, Frumkin," Angelica said, her eyes narrowing. The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch period. The two get up from the floor. "I _guess _I should go on to history class."

"Ah. Who do you have?"

"Some lady named Swenson."

Harold's face brightens. "Oh! I have Ms. Swenson, too! May I walk you? May I carry your books?"

Angelica sighs, heavily. _Oh, brother. _"Just walk with me. Don't- Don't carry my books, okay?"

"Gotcha."

The two walk together toward the history wing with Angelica's head still buzzing from the events of today. Harold offers a gentle smile as they reach their class. Although he was annoying at times, Angelica appreciated Harold's optimism and kindness.

"Hey…uh…Harold?" she utters. _God, this is _always _so hard!_

"Yeah, Angelica?"

"Thanks…for listening."

Harold grins. "No problem. I'm always here for you."

* * *

><p>The first day of school winds down, as the students of Winona High head for their seventh period classes. Head held high and with a friendly smile on her face, Susie Carmichael strides through the hallway toward the library, officially called the 'media center,' for freshmen study hall.<p>

She remembers Chuckie's request that she save a table for her, him, Harmonie, and Harold. Over the past three months, since her graduation from Jim Junior Middle School, she worried about Chuckie being here at the high school for the afternoon due to the new program set in place a year ago. Angelica, she would handle and keep a tight rein on if necessary. Chuckie, a kind and gentle soul, needed to be protected from the horrors of adolescence. Most of the upperclassmen, Susie observed, were wild and prone to giving in their rampant hormones. She laughs to herself. _They make the likes of Angelica and Savannah look like angels. _

Harmonie Gillett's appearance at school, placated Susie's worries to an extent. _She is a sensible, intelligent girl…_exactly _the type of person Chuckie would feel comfortable around. _Harold Frumkin, already a dear friend, went through his growth spurt and speech classes and retained the personality he kept throughout his life.

And Angelica? _She's still Angelica…desperate to fit in with the crowd. _

Susie steps into the library. Mr. Woodcraft, the study hall teacher and permanent substitute teacher, nods in her direction. He ticks off her name on the roll call program on the computer. A blackboard near the circulation desk read:

"Freshman Study Hall, 7th period. I will take roll as you walk in the library. You may talk _quietly_ amongst each other. Keep it down, some may chose to study. Thank you much, Mr. Woodcraft."

Susie notices that almost all of the tables are now filled with other freshmen. Even Angelica's table was full, with Brianna, Chelsea, Paris, Sean, and Justin sitting around her.

_Crap. There's got to be at least _one _table left. Almost everyone is here, and the warning bell hasn't even rung yet. _Susie pursed her lips. _I should have got here earlier. Ugggggh, this _stinks!

She finally spots a table not filled with other kids, by the windows. One occupant slouches on the chair, with his feet on the table. Lucas Dalton Remington Merrington II smirks at the scene of kids fighting for a table.

Susie rolls her eyes. _Oh, for heaven's sake!_ Her blood boils at the sight of the new kid in school, remembering her encounter with him during her third period French class.

She clears her throat to get the boy's attention, to no avail.

"Excuse me?" she spoke up. Dalton lifts his head and narrows his icy blue eyes at her.

"May I help you?" he responds, in a bored drawl.

"All of the other tables are full," Susie said, trying to maintain her composure. "My friends and I want to sit here. Do you mind?"

"I'm saving this table," Dalton said. "Why are you _even _talking to me?"

Susie narrows her eyes. "Get your dang feet off the table, fool."

Dalton swings his feet off the table and leans close to Susie. "Do you even know who you're dealing with?"

"I'm not scared of you," Susie said, gritting her teeth. "Mind your attitude."

"Why don't you scurry along now, _Susanna?" _Dalton sneers, making a shooing motion with his hand toward Susie's direction. "If you can't find a table, you and your dweeb friends can sit on the floor."

Susie crosses her arms. "Get up, Merrington."

Silence passes between them as the warning bell rings.

Dalton then gets up with a snarl. He grabs his backpack and strides closer to Susie. "You win this round. You and your stupid friends can sit here. _I, _on the other hand, have _better _things to do than to sit here and rot in _freshman study hall _at this hellhole. Next time, you try to get under my skin, _I will put you in your place!"_

He tears away, leaving a trembling Susie in his wake. She watches as the horrid boy slips right out of the library. Mr. Woodcraft, still taking roll, didn't even look up from his computer. Susie slumps down on a chair, the thoughts buzzing through her mind. She'd expected this type of confrontation with the likes of Dalton Merrington. Throughout her life, Susie had experienced dealing with people like him, the elitist, snobby types that look upon people like her…as a piece of trash. Angelica, as self-centered as she was, never seemed to exhibit the overt racist and elitist behavior as most well-off white people. _He seems misogynist as well._ _I'll have to warn Angelica about him._

Chuckie, Harmonie, and Harold arrive in the library. Mr. Woodcraft looks up and checks their names off in the roll.

"Susie?" Chuckie said, with a concerned gaze in his green eyes. "Did something happen?"

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Harmonie comments.

"You don't look so good, Suz," Harold makes a face. "You okay?"

Susie heaves a deep breath and holds her head in her hands. "No, no. Not really."

The concerned trio sit down at the table, hanging their bags and taking out their textbooks.

"Did you run into Dalton Merrington?" Harold asks.

"Heh!" Susie then pours out the details of her confrontation with the Merrington boy.

"-and _he _said "_I will put you in your place," if_ I ever try to confront him again."

Harold's mouth falls open. "He did not!"

"Yeah. Yeah, he did. Harold, he's just the worst. The absolute worst."

"I can believe you in that," Chuckie said. "If someone is worse than Angelica, then they _are_ the worst."

"Well, Chuckie," Susie said, shaking her head. "Dalton Merrington makes Angelica look like a saint. I am not kidding."

"Where is he, anyway?" Harmonie asks. "Isn't freshman study hall mandatory for all ninth graders?"

"Not for _him, _apparently," Harold said, with a shrug. "I saw him go to his locker to get his stuff, and he walks out of the school!"

"_What?!" _Chuckie hissed under his breath. "That's _insane! _He could get in trouble for playing hooky like that."

Susie snorts. "Yeah. With Woodcraft not even looking up from his computer as Merrington left the library, I don't think he got caught as he left the school. He's rich, white, and new to the school system, so he can do whatever he wants, it seems."

Harold pats Susie's back. "I'm sorry, Suz. You're among friends now."

Susie smiles at him. "Thanks. I just hope Angelica knows to stay away from him. I _doubt _it though; she tends to latch on to these destructive people…ie., Savannah Shannon."

"Except Savannah never walked out of study hall and played hooky," Chuckie points out. "This Merrington is _bad_ news. I wouldn't want him to hurt anyone, not even Angelica."

Harmonie nods. "I concur."

"Well, you don't have to worry about _that,"_ Harold speaks up.

"What do you mean, Harold?" Susie said, taking out her French textbook.

"Angelica ran into him at lunch today. She was mighty upset, once I came across her in the hall. The thing is…she hates him, too. And I mean, hates him." Harold then tells the trio of Angelica's hapless confrontation with Merrington.

"I guess we don't have to worry about Angelica hanging out with Merrington anytime soon," Chuckie said. "Wow…I never even _dreamed _that there would be anyone worse than Angelica. I mean, there was that kid Josh that picked on me and Tommy back when we were babies…and then there was Timmy McNulty…"

"Perhaps, we should study," Harmonie pipes up.

"Yeah," Chuckie agrees, with a jerky nod. "Let's do that. This topic is depressing me."

The four study their textbooks in silence, with Susie feeling slightly better. Dalton Merrington or not, she intended to have a great freshman year. She observes the three others at the table. Chuckie and Harmonie whisper amongst each other about their mutual classes. Her heart swells for Chuckie, knowing that he had had anxiety about today. Her eyes spot Angelica sitting with the popular kids. Even though they had textbooks out, none of the kids were actively studying or discussing their classes. Angelica now wore a bright grin on her face as Sean Butler talks her ear off about something. Susie wondered if he was inviting her to his annual back-to-school party.

_I have a busy year ahead of me, _Susie thinks, her eyes now lowered to her French book. _I'm ready. _

Once the bell rings to signal the end of the first day of school, everyone packs their books in their bags. Susie, Harold, Chuckie, and Harmonie walk out of the library together.

"So, what's the haps?" she then asks. "I'm planning on going to the Java Lava."

"Me too," Chuckie responds, with a nod. "Dad asked me and Kimi to work the afternoon shift."

"I'll have to take a rain check," Harold said, with a grimace. "I have an appointment with my orthodontist."

"Perhaps we'll meet another time," Harmonie points out. "My mom will be picking me up, after she gets my brother from the middle school. So, we'll meet at the library tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah," Susie answers. "I'll save a table."

"Make sure that Merrington doesn't end up showing up," grumbles Chuckie.

"Bye, Susie!" Harold cries. "See ya tomorrow."

"See ya. Good luck with your appointment."

"It was nice to meet all of you," Harmonie said. "See you all."

"Bye," Chuckie said. He and Susie wave their goodbyes to Harmonie and Harold, and head for the sidewalk leading into downtown Winona.


	5. After School at the Java Lava

*_A/N: __Rest in paradise, Christine Cavanaugh and Stuart Scott.*_

* * *

><p>"Alright, Miss. Lorner, I've explained the rules and goals of the Acceleration Program for Gifted Students. Do you have any questions?"<p>

Vice Principal Pangborn stands at his desk, arms folded. Luana Lorner stands opposite him with Dylan Pickles. Both wear placid looks on their faces.

"Oh, no," Luana speaks up. "Thank you so much, Mr. Pangborn, for taking the time to explain things."

"Not a problem," mutters Pangborn, with a wave of the hand. "I'm sure your mother will get used to being here in Winona, California. It may not be as small and easy to get around as your tiny, little New England town, but in time you'll feel grateful you are here, as opposed to the chaos of LA or Oakland."

"I'll keep that in mind, sir."

"Now, Pickles. Miss. Lorner-" Pangborn paces back and forth, with a small book in his left hand. "I've been working on a little something for Vel- uh, Miss. O'Keats. I would like your _honest _opinion."

Dil's face pales, as he turns to Luana. "Uh-"

"We'll take a rain check, Mr. Pangborn," Luana said, causing a look of relief to appear on Dil's face. "Dylan and I have to get going…and I should be calling my mother…right about now. You see-"

"Fine, fine, Miss. Lorner," Pangborn said, with a growl. "You and Pickles take care of yourselves. I expect _great _things."

"Yes, sir," Dil said, grinning. "See ya on the flip side, Mr. Pangborn."

Pangborn's eyes narrow. "Watch yourself, Pickles."

"Gotcha." The two sixth graders tear out of the office and head for the entrance of the school.

"Man, thanks for getting us out of there," Dil said. "I don't know if I can take any of Pangborn's poetry."

"Oh?" Luana exclaims. "Is his poetry less than satisfactory?"

"Yeah. Pretty much."

With her hemp bag slung over her shoulder, Luana walks alongside the striding-backwards Dil wearing his alien head backpack. Luana expected a difficult day, especially considering her late arrival to school. However, the only person that had given her a hard time about that was the history teacher, Mr. Stedwell. _Perhaps, he was nervous too, seeing as he's new too. _

Instead of a difficult, exhausting day, Luana ended up enjoying her first day at Jim Junior Middle School. She liked all of her teachers so far, especially Miss. O'Keats, whom she felt a connection to. As for friends, she found one in Dylan Pickles. Throughout her life, Luana always struggled to make friends to keep for more than a school year. Her sister, Oriana, and brother, Keanu, seemed fine in their social lives. While they both resented the move to Winona, California from their hometown in Sheffield, Massachusetts, Luana saw the move as a new chance. Most kids her age cringed at her unconventional beliefs and her New Age attitude to life. However, Dylan Pickles was different from the other kids she encountered in California. In fact, Dylan embraced many of the same beliefs, and reminded her of herself in many ways.

_I hope Mom says I can go to the Java Lava. _Luana reaches the pay-phone by the front entrance. She catches a glance toward the boy wearing the Sherpa hat. _ I'm truly looking forward to spending time with Dylan outside of school and getting to know him..._

"I'll wait for you," Dil said, with a grin. He stops and slides down to the ground. Luana flashes a smile in return and dials a number into the pay-phone. She waits a few seconds until her mother picks up.

"Hello?" the familiar lilt of Narcissa Lorner echos from the other line.

"Mom? It's Luana."

"Ah! Hello, dear! I thought you were taking the bus. Are you quite alright?"

"I'm fine," Luana assures. She gazes toward Dil's direction. With his face hidden behind a book, she wondered if he was merely being polite, in giving her space. "Mom, I hope I'm not bothering you or anything-"

"No, no. Of course not, doll. I'm just taking it easy today. I'll probably be home by five or so. Was Mr. Pangborn displeased?"

"No, not at all," Luana responds. "In fact, he allowed me to come to his office after school so he can fill in what I missed in orientation."

"Oh, good!" Luana could detect the relief in her mother's voice. "I was worried. I still feel awful about getting you there as late as I did. If there's anything-"

"No, Mom. You just weren't used to Winona. We'll leave the house earlier tomorrow, or I could take the bus."

"The _bus_? Are you sure, honey? You never liked to-"

"I had no friends," Luana points out. "But I met someone. A friend."

"You did?"

"Yes. Dylan Pickles. He's in my homeroom. You won't believe it, Mom, but he's the most interesting kid my age that I've ever met! He speaks seven different languages, walks backwards, and he believes in the extraterrestrial! Anyway, we ate lunch together and I gave him some of my hummus and tabbouleh. He really enjoyed it."

"That's great, Lu. He sounds like a nice and- yes- interesting boy."

"So, I was wondering-" Luana starts, fiddling with the phone cord. "-If I may go to the coffeehouse downtown, called the Java Lava? Dylan has friends who own the place, and he invited me to come along after I was finished with Mr. Pangborn. Is it alright?"

A pause.

"Well, why not? I'll send Oriana to pick you up at five-thirty. Be careful now, hon, and have fun with your new friend."

Luana smiles in relief. "Thanks so much, Mom. I'll see you."

"Bye, hon."

Luana hangs the receiver on the hook and strides out to meet Dil. He gazes up from his English textbook. Closing the book, he gets up from the floor. "So how'd it go?"

"Great! Mom says yes. We can go to the Java Lava! My sister's picking me up at five-thirty."

Dil's hazel eyes light up. "Awesome! We better get going, though."

* * *

><p>The San Bernardino Mountains loom over the surrounding cities and towns of the namesake area. Only ten minutes from Yucaipa, the town of Winona consists of about 13,000 people. With two high schools, three middle schools, and four elementary schools, Winona's school district ranked among the highest in the state of California, as a prideful Estes Pangborn would assert.<p>

Downtown Winona consists of two thoroughfares: Main Street and Bernardino Avenue. Many well-known and successful businesses are mainly on Bernardino Avenue, including the Java Lava Coffeehouse. Situated on the corner of Bernardino and Main and next door to Cella's Shoe Store, Java Lava Coffeehouse was started in early 1992 by Charles and Kira Finster. The Finsters, along with Elizabeth DeVille, own the coffeehouse, open for ten years. Kimi and Chuckie have 'unofficial jobs' and work the busy after-school and weekend shifts. Now a teahouse, smoothie bar, Internet café, as well as a coffeehouse, the Java Lava is a popular hangout for Winona's young people.

Kimi and Chuckie work the counter, as a few students from Jim Junior Middle School file into the Java Lava. Kimi stifles a yawn, as she takes an order from the awkward sixth grade boy on the other side of the counter. Chuckie gives a nod, as she repeats the boy's order of a mango-orange smoothie.

The door leading into the back-room swings open, and Charles Finster Sr. stumbles in, holding a large box in his arms.

"Oh!" Kimi rushes toward her stepfather. "I'll help you with that."

"What _is _that, Dad?" Chuckie wonders, as his sister and father carry the box toward an empty table. They set the box down with a collective 'umph'!

Chaz catches his breath. "Betty wanted me to set up for tonight's...uh...event."

Chuckie groans at this. "Don't tell me we're doing those 'themed' nights again! I thought we said 'no-go' after the Monkeying Monday incident."

Kimi snickers.

"Lighten up, Chuckie!" the voice of Betty DeVille, Java Lava's shift manager and the Finsters' long-time family friend, booms out. Betty strides out with another box in her arms. "It's a lot better than Monkeying Monday. In fact, I believe that _this _time we will have a regular event on Monday evenings that will cure those Monday blues!"

"Good luck," muttered Chuckie.

"What _is _going on tonight?" Kimi asks.

Chuckie peeks inside one of the boxes and cringes. "A magic show? You guys are doing a _magic show?"_

"You guys are!" Betty said, with an excited look on her face. "You and Kimi. For Magic Mondays!"

Kimi's eyes widen. _Magic Monday? __Please kill me now._

"Hey, guys!" Phil strides in the café, with Lil and Tommy in tow. "What up?"

"A magic show," Chuckie said, with a whimper. Tommy and Lil wear faces of pity, as Phil unsuccessfully suppresses a laugh. "It's a long story."

Tommy and the twins give nods of understanding and sit down at their usual table by the cyber area, where a fifth grade boy played games and two high school students surfed the web.

"Here you are, guys," Kimi said, holding a tray containing three smoothies. "Three blueberry blasts."

Phil licks his lips. "Thanks, Kim."

Lil smiles. "Thank you, Kimi." She takes her smoothie and takes a sip. "Yum. Anyway...sorry about the Magic Monday nonsense. Mom's tried to get me to help out with all their gimmicks. I'm sure that this Magic Monday will only last for one week."

"Let's hope so," Kimi said, sighing heavily. She sweeps away from her friends and back toward the counter. Tommy watches worriedly as she tends to another customer.

"Hey, Tom," Phil utters. "You alright? You worried about Kimi?"

"Yeah. It's not just Kimi. Dil's bringing Luana over."

"Luana Lorner? The new girl he ate lunch with?"

"Yep," Tommy said, laying his chin on the palm of his hand. "They stayed after-school, so she could talk with Pangborn. Last time I saw them, it was after seventh period and Luana was gonna call her mom to ask her if she could come here after dealing with Pangborn."

"Jeez," Lil said. "I wonder what her parents are like."

"Well, think about what _Luana _is like," Phil retorts. "She's even _more _odd and eccentric than _Dil! _Think about what her _parents _are like and tell me-"

"Well, they can't be any weirder than any of our parents," Lil points out.

"How do you know?"

Betty and Chaz reappear in costumes, Betty in a magician's robe and Chaz in a suit and top hat.

"What'd ya think, kiddos?" Betty asks.

"Are we _magical _enough for tonight?" Chaz adds.

Tommy and the twins exchange looks.

"I rest my case," said Lil.

Tommy shakes his head and glances at the clock.

"Tommy?" Phil said. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Don't you 'nothing' us, Thomas!" Lil scolds. "Are you worried about Dil bringing Luana here?"

"Chillax, Tommy," Phil said, with a shrug. "Luana seems like a nice person. Hopefully, she'll like smoothies."

"I'm sure she will," Tommy said, pensively gazing toward the entrance. "Being a vegetarian means she won't eat meat, but will eat anything else?"

"Pretty much. Unless she's allergic to a lot of things like Chuckie."

Dil then appears in the coffeehouse with Luana in tow. Both sixth graders were now in cheerful moods. Luana, in particular, was carefully peering around the Java Lava, with a pensive look on her face. "You said this was the coffeehouse, Dylan?"

"Yep," Dil responds, with a grin. "They also serve smoothies and stuff like that for the kids."

Luana was still looking around. "It's funny. I fancied this place to resemble a Starbucks."

"Starbucks?" Phil had heard their conversation. He, Lil and Tommy then waved the two newcomers toward their table.

"I have only been to one coffeehouse in my life," Luana explains. "It was a Starbucks in Boston. Horrific experience." She then shudders.

"This place is different," Lil said. "It's a lot more...original, and it's a _real _coffeehouse. Starbucks is a just a cheap, chain imitation."

"Do you like smoothies?" Phil wonders, hoping to get Lil off the Starbucks subject. "It has fruit mixed in with milk and ice cream-"

"Ah, Phillip. I know what a smoothie is!" Luana was laughing. "Mom makes smoothies for us every morning for breakfast. Granted we have ours with yogurt as opposed to ice cream-"

"Awesome!" Tommy exclaimed, a tad nervously. "Why don't you and Dil go stand in line? Chuckie and Kimi make a mean smoothie."

"All right. Let us not tarry, Dylan." The two then head for the line.

"Everything seems smooth so far," Phil said, with a careless shrug.

Tommy grew increasingly nervous. "Yeah. Smooth," he squeaked.

Lil then slapped his arm. "Tommy, what in the heck is wrong with you? Why are you so freaked about Dil and Luana being here? It's not like they're going to embarrass us here. Dil's weird to the max, and he's been going here for years, without any problems. What could be so bad about _two _of them?"

"It's not _that, _Lil. It's the fact that...oh, I don't know...Dil has a new friend and they're _here. _Aren't you worried that Betty or Chaz will embarrass them?"

"Luana doesn't seem to care what other people think...period," Lil said.

"That's true. She's like Dil in that way."

"Wonder if they'll end up staying up every Friday night looking for any sign of aliens coming to our planet?" Phil quips. Lil and Tommy throw identical glares at his direction.

* * *

><p>Tommy and Dil left the Java Lava at about half past five, once Luana's older sister appears to pick up Dil's new friend. Tommy's remembrance of Oriana Lorner was that of a tall blonde girl of about sixteen with Lil's fashion sense and Kimi's bold and strong-willed personality. Phil had immediately voiced his strong opinion of the older Lorner's beauty, to Lil's chagrin. Tommy and Dil said their good-byes to Luana, Kimi, Chuckie, and the twins before they hi-tailed out of the cafe before the commencing of Magic Monday. It was due to get ugly.<p>

Susie Carmichael, who spent most of the afternoon studying, while trading barbs and chatting with Chuckie and Kimi, accompanied the Pickles brothers home.

"So, what's the haps at Winona High?" Dil asks of Susie. Tommy remains mute, as he strides along.

"It's good," Susie responds. "Really good. I like all my classes so far and my teachers all seem nice."

"Same here, save that Mr. Stedwell," Dil said, with a shudder. "He was _quite_ the tyrant, eh, T?"

Tommy wobbles his head up and down. "That guy is _disturbed. _He gave Dil a hard time when he walked into our class backwards, give Luana a hard time for coming to homeroom late on the _first day of class, _give some kid detention for coming to his third period class ten minutes late, made fun of Kimi's name, and I think he hates me, Dil, Luana, Phil, and Lil."

"Whoa!" Susie exclaims. "He doesn't seem very nice."

"Heh!'

"So, what's happening with Angelica, Chuckie, and Harold?" Dil said, thankfully changing the subject.

"Harold's doing very well," Susie answers. "He has an orthodontist appointment right now, but the lisp is still gone. Chuckie met a new friend-"

"Chuckie? New friend?" Tommy burst out.

"Glad to hear that Harold's doing well," Dil said, ignoring Tommy's outburst. "Is Angelica enjoying her new status as the most popular girl in the freshman class? Last I heard, she was bragging about getting to eat lunch with Sean Butler and doing nails with Brianna Milo."

"Dil!" Tommy growls. "Did you_ not hear? _Chuckie made a _new friend!"_

"Geez, T," Dil said, shaking his head. "Chill out, bro. People make new friends all the time. I mean, look at me."

"Yeah, but _Chuckie?!"_

Susie narrows her eyes. "I think we are all aware of the shocking news of this revelation that our own Charles Crandall Finster has made a new friend. Would you two like for me to finish what I am to report to you?"

"Oh," Dil said. "Go on, Suz."

Tommy heaves a heavy sigh, as the trio head for their neighborhood.

"Her name is Harmonie Gillett," Susie starts. "They're both in the same grade and in the Acceleration Program at school."

"Chuckie's new friend is a _girl?!" _Tommy cries.

Susie sighs.

"So, how's Angelica liking high school?" Dil then asks.

"Funny you should ask me that, Dil," Susie replies. "Angelica was having the time of her life, it seems. Unfortunately, Dalton Merrington came along."

Dil quirks an eyebrow. "Who?"

Susie rolls her eyes. "He's new. He moved here from near Cambridge, Massachusetts. Long story short, the boy is completely arrogant and even _Angelica _feels threatened by him."

"Tsk, tsk," Tommy said, shaking his head. "Never thought I'd see the day that Angelica C. Pickles is threatened by _anybody, _let alone some snooty, rich boy from New England."

The three stop near the Pickles' residence. A simple 1930s Spanish Colonial Revival, Tommy and his family- consisting of Dil, their parents Stu and Didi, and at one time their paternal grandfather, Lou- had lived in this house during their time in Winona. This house was the center of Tommy's play dates with Chuckie, Phil, and Lil (and later, Dil and Kimi) in which they constantly got themselves in crazy adventures and sometimes having to survive Angelica and her wrath.

_Ah, childhood._

Tommy and Dil said their good-byes to Susie, who walks toward the house directly across the street from them. They walk inside their house, as the sun began setting for the evening. The boys heard the distant rumblings of their parents in the kitchen.

_"I swear to God, Stu, if you don't talk some sense into that man-"_

_"Deed, what's to talk? Pop asserts that his health is quite good. There's no need to get hyped up about this."_

_"'Hyped up?' Stu, this is your father! Please, please, just pick up the phone and call him."_

_"Look, Didi. The boys are home now. I just heard the door open. We don't need to keep talking about this."_

_"Fine. Fine, Stu. We'll drop it. For now."_

Tommy and Dil, now wearing concerned faces, stride through the living room and toward the kitchen. Their father, Stu, sat in a chair at the dining room/ nook table holding a booklet. The words 'What to Do When Your Elderly Parents Need Your Attention,' read across the front cover. Their mother, Didi, stood at the sink, washing vegetables. Tommy catches a glance at the floor by the table where the chubby, brown mutt lay. His heart swells at the sight of his canine friend of twelve years. Old for his fourteen-and-a-half years, Spike yawns from his place. Tommy rubs behind his ears. "Hey, old pal."

"Mom, is Grandpa Lou alright?" Dil speaks up.

Didi's eyes widen, as she turns to her husband.

"Uh-" Stu starts. "Your Grandpa is fine. Absolutely fine. He's...just being stubborn about going to the doctor...for his annual physical."

Didi makes a face. She then turns to her sons. "Well, anyway. Your father's right. Grandpa Lou is fine. I'm making chicken salad for dinner."

"Cool." Dil nods. He and Tommy take their seats at the table to join their father. Tommy smiles, and pats Spike's back. _Great to be home, after a long day at school and at the Java Lava._

"How was your first day at school?" Didi then asks the boys.

"Oh, great, Mom," Dil said. "You see-"

Dil and Tommy then alternate their narratives of their first day of school. At the first mention of Luana Lorner, Didi immediately wanted to know if the girl was not imaginary. Tommy sat in awkward silence, as his mother began to get emotional. Dil, oblivious to the embarrassment of his older brother, proudly spoke of the new girl in school and said that they would be eating lunch together every day from now on.

After dinner, Tommy spent some time alone in his room. Dil was probably writing his alien expose as of right now. Holding his camcorder he fondly knows as Roman, Tommy wondered about his next film project. Last year had been a significant period in his film career. In addition to the projects during his fifth grade years, Tommy had made a fifteen-minute 'Young Adult' thriller, a ninety-second commercial for the Java Lava, and a thirty-minute documentary about the history of Winona. All were shown at the Java Lava during weekend nights, last summer.

_What next, Tommy? What's up for this year? Some inspiration would be great right now._

Tommy heaves a sigh as he places Roman on his bedside table. _Maybe I should think more of this during the weekend. An idea will come to me sooner or later._


	6. Harsh Discipline and Stedwell, the Spy?

Friday. The best day of the week during the school year. One day away from the weekend. This particular Friday, Winona had nice weather with clear skies and plenty of sunshine. How Tommy yearned to be outside playing soccer and four-square with his friends…

_Anywhere but here._

"Pickles!" the bellow jerks Tommy out of his thoughts. For a second, he thought he was in seventh period study hall with Pangborn. He gazes up toward the front of the room.

_No. First period. Homeroom and history class with Stedwell._

Wearing a displeased look on his face, Stedwell now stands over Tommy's desk. Tommy blinks. Trapped in the front row due to the assigned seats Stedwell implemented on Tuesday, he anguished over having to sit so close to Stedwell and unable to exchange barbs and complaints with Phil, the only good thing about this class. Phil, in turn, was now in the third row, as far away from Tommy as possible without being way back in the back row. Dil and Luana sit behind him in the second row, watching him and Stedwell with concern. Lil, in the front row by the classroom door, gazes at him with lips pursed.

Tommy sighs. He missed Max. At least he never made 'assigned seats.'

"Thomas Pickles!" Stedwell hisses. Tommy cringes at the use of the full name. _No one, not even Mom and Dad, calls me Thomas. Unless you count Luana or even Lil who only calls me that when she's annoyed…_

"I had _asked _you a _question _about the homework," Stedwell continues. "I take it with your inability to keep your gaze from the window that you failed to complete the homework I assigned last night. Am I correct?"

Lil utters a soft scoff from the other side of the room. Tommy fights against his urge to snap back. He takes a deep breath. "No, sir. I completed it."

The black eyes narrow dangerously. "Don't back-chat me, boy. Answer the question!"

"About what?"

"What are the five themes of geography, Mr. Pickles?"

Tommy looks down at his notebook. "Uh…uh-"

"Disgrace!" Stedwell spat. "_Apparently, _someone is a little _too _eager for the weekend to commence, hmm?"

Lil rolls her eyes.

"Whoo hoo!" Phil whoops from his seat. "TGIF!"

Stedwell fixates his glare at him. Lil face-palms. Tommy swallows. _Stedwell already in a bad mood, and Phil was worsening the situation. _

"A week's detention for you, Mr. DeVille, for disrupting my class," Stedwell said, his glare still on the younger DeVille twin.

Phil's eyes widen to the size of saucers. "A _WEEK?!"_

Stedwell's steely gaze remains on him. "Did I s-stutter, boy? A week's detention, starting this coming Monday."

"Unfair!" Phil burst out. "How was I _disrupting _your class? I was just making a point; the weekends are exciting, fun, enjoyable-"

"Keep it up, DeVille, and you will get _two _weeks."

Phil slumps back in his chair. "Yes, _sir."_

Silence. Tommy could feel the hostility rising between Phil and Stedwell. Someone had to break the tension. Luana suddenly raises her hand.

Stedwell turns toward the sixth grader. "Yes, Miss Lorner?"

"I can tell you the five themes of geography, sir," Luana chirps, as if Phil had not just gotten detention unfairly. "I memorized the introductory chapter last night."

Stedwell heaves a sigh. "Go on."

Luana answers the question and Stedwell starts droning on about the test on the geography briefly discussed in their Middle School World History textbook. Tommy stifles a groan; he had clearly learned this information last year in sixth grade- even in fifth with the history teacher Max Wilcox. Tommy's favorite teacher came from a Quaker charter school in the Northeast which showed in the way he ran his classes. Tommy tries not to fall asleep as he remembers the catchy song that Max taught them that demonstrated the fun side of geography.

_Africa, America- North and South, Europe and Asia. Australia. We can't forget Antarctica._

The bell rings and Tommy draws a deep breath. _Free at last._

_ "Hold it!" _Stedwell's voice thunders over the noise of students getting their books in their bags. "The bell does not dismiss you. _I _do."

Some of the boys in the class groan.

"_Enough!" _Stedwell snaps. "As I have been mentioning _several _times this week, you will have a test on this information on Monday. Look over the study guide and your notes...and _maybe _you dunderheads will pass."

His eyes narrow. "Go."

With that, the class of twenty-five students file out of the room. Tommy and Phil walk out of the classroom and toward their second period Pre-Algebra class.

"Who does that Stedwell think he is, eh?" Phil rants on, his eyes blazing in anger. "Giving me a week's detention just for being excited for the weekend!"

Tommy merely shakes his head. "I'm just worried about passing this test on Monday."

"Oh, we'll pass!" Phil assures, with a gesture of his hand. "Don't you worry about that, Tommy! We learned this stuff, waaaay back in fifth grade with Max!"

"The best history teacher we ever had," Tommy said, with a nod.

"Now we have the _worst _history teacher we ever had."

"Amen to that, Phil."

* * *

><p>The day slugs along as fourth period began. Kimi knew that fourth period was the worst of the day. Right before lunch, fourth period was torture with those students already hungry for lunch. It was worst for those who skip breakfast on weekdays. Some kids tended to act out, to their teachers' dismay.<p>

Especially on Fridays.

Kimi sits at the front row, right near the teacher's desk. Due to Stedwell's unfair seating charts, Kimi was forced to sit away from Z, her friend. Born Zavier Ivander Melton, the school's so-called 'bad boy' was actually a smart and altruistic young man who participates in the ultimate frisbee team and Spanish club.

Now thanks to that horrid chart, Kimi was now forced to actually pay attention to Stedwell's boring, dull lectures. Forced to look at him. Forced to feel his warm breath, as he lectured...right in front of her.

"Now if you imbeciles would have just _paid _attention- you would have understood-" Stedwell now sneers.

"But, sir!" exclaims an African-American boy that Kimi knew as Devonte Evans. "It's almost lunch period. And it's Friday!"

"And?!" Stedwell fixates his steely gaze on Devonte, who slumps down in his seat. "I don't appreciate your attitude, Evans. Once more and you will get detention. Now, as I was saying, before the _interruption_- You will be tested on this information, this Monday-"

"What's the point of this test?"

Silence. The angry, flustered Kimi had stood up in her seat. Stedwell swivels around to meet her gaze.

"What...did...you...say...to...me, Miss Finster?" he demands, in a snarl.

Kimi stands her ground as she meets her teacher's gaze. "I _said, _what is the point of this test? We learned this stuff in sixth grade."

"I'm with Kimi," Z spoke from the third row. "I remember learning the five themes of geography in Max's class. In _fifth _grade."

"Be quiet, Mr. Melton!" Stedwell bangs his desk with a fist. He rounds on Kimi. "Do _you _want to teach this class, Finster? Do _you _want to be in charge of the lesson plans, the tests and homework assignments, the grading, and the review assessments?"

Kimi's eyes narrow into slits. "I would do a much better job than you. There is such a thing as 'pre-tests.'"

"All of the other teachers we've had have done them," Nicole Boscarelli said, with a shrug.

"Why can't we start the first unit in the dang textbook as opposed to the _introduction?" _Kimi continues. "You know, Africa?"

"Yeah!" Devonte said, with a clap of the hands.

"You're just wasting your time with this geography crap, when you could have just given us a pre-test on the first day of school!"

Stedwell grits his teeth. "You had better hush up, Miss Finster. I am not in the mood."

"You don't deserve to teach us history!"

Her classmates stand up. _"Yeah!"_

"And- and- these assigned seats are a _joke_!"

"SIT DOWN!" Stedwell shouts.

Silence. The students then rapidly sit back down at their desks. Stedwell, shaking with anger, locks eyes with Kimi.

"You have gone _over the line, _girl!" he seethes. "Two week's detention, starting Monday."

Kimi, seated in her seat, looks back at him with a defiant and unafraid attitude. "Okay."

Stedwell sweeps away from Kimi and strides to the blackboard. He then writes five questions on the board and places the words 'POP QUIZ' in large letters on the top. "Thanks to Miss Finster's cheek, you all will be given a pop quiz based on last night's homework. Clear off your desks and leave only a sheet of paper and a pencil-"

The class utters a drawn-out groan.

_"SHUT UP!" _Stedwell throws his chalk on the floor. The room grew deadly silent, save for the soft weepings of the small, shy Asperger's girl in the back corner that reminded Kimi of Chuckie. Kimi's stomach churns, knowing that if Stedwell heard that poor girl, she would be in _big _trouble.

She bites the inside of her cheek. _Well_,_ you started it, Kimi. _

"You have five minutes," Stedwell spoke, his eyes leering toward the students. "Anyone who talks will be sent out and given a week's detention."

Gritting her teeth, Kimi begins scribbling her answers on a blank sheet of paper. She catches a glance toward the weeping girl, now trying to focus on her paper. Kimi turns back to the front of the room, where Stedwell sat at his desk, his eyes on the computer. Kimi glares at him, as she finishes her quiz. _Stedwell _will _be fired at semester's end. If not, at _year's _end. He can yell and scream and give me a thousand week's detention...or at least until I graduate middle school. But he crossed the line, when he made one of his students shed tears due to his cruelty._

* * *

><p>"What a travesty!"<p>

Luana and Dil, seated at their usual table by the trees on the outdoor patio, eat their lunch. As promised, Luana brought extra hummus and pita bread for them to share. She shakes her head, as she spoke of the events of earlier involving their homeroom teacher.

"I heard," Dil said. "Not only did Phil got a week's detention today in homeroom, but Kimi got two weeks, just last period. You know that it got _so _bad in first period that Tommy and Phil practically ran to their second period Pre-Algebra class. They _hate _Pre-Algebra!"

"I do not envy their situation at all," Luana said, lowering her voice and leaning closer to the boy across from her. "When they cross a harsh teacher like so-"

"Bad things happen," Dil finishes, with a shudder.

"Exactly, Dylan, which is why both of us should be wary of him. No matter how unfair his practices are, we must keep a low profile."

"I agree," Dil said, eating a piece of hummus on pita. "I can't afford to get detentions. They may throw me out of the program."

"Ditto to that." Luana nods.

Dil then changes the subject to aliens and his experience with telescopes. They keep chatting amongst a hissing noise nearby.

"Dil! Hey, Dil!"

Dil wrinkles his brow and turns to see Tommy crouched down on the grass near their table. The older Pickles waves his hand. "Dil! Over here."

"What's with the secrecy, T?" Dil wonders. "You looking to film a movie?"

"No!" Tommy groans. He heaves a sigh, as he stumbles to his feet. He walks over to his younger brother and clings onto the table. "Um...uh..."

"What up, T?" Dil presses.

"Cat got your tongue, Thomas?" Luana said.

Tommy's face reddens. "Guys, we need you."

Dil quirks an eyebrow. "_¿Por qué?"_

"My table," Tommy said, scratching the back of his head. "We need you to come sit with us."

"How come, Thomas?" Luana wonders, with a tinge of concern in her voice. "Is there something wrong?"

Tommy shakes his head. "Kimi is pissed off...majorly. Phil is hardly speaking. Chuckie is suspiciously pleased with life. Lil and I _need _you."

Dil and Luana exchange looks. "We might as well," Dil then said, with a sigh. "It sounds if they _do _need our eccentricities, eh, Luana?"

"Precisely, Dylan," Luana agrees. "Let us move on to Thomas' table, shall we?"

"We shall."

Tommy shrugs, as he leads the two sixth graders to his table. A fuming Kimi, an annoyed Phil, a deliriously happy Chuckie, and a distressed Lil waited.

"Greetings, Phillip, Lillian, Kimi, Charles!" Luana says, in a cheerful voice.

The four gave little, dismissive waves. Kimi and Chuckie mutter hellos, Phil utters a grunt, and Lil greets them more enthusiastically.

"So, how is everyone today?" Luana then poses a question, as she and Dil sit down at the table.

"Horrid," grumbles Kimi.

"It sucked," Phil adds, with an irked roll of the eyes.

"My day was pretty good," Lil was more chatty. "Stedwell was a hopeless bore, but the rest of my morning was good. We're reading short stories in Miss. O'Keats' class. I particularly liked the one when the girl goes back to her hometown and faces tragedy head on."

"Riveting!" Luana exclaims. "I enjoyed reading this story about a boy who finds himself."

"We're starting _To Kill a Mockingbird _in my class today," Chuckie finally speaks up.

"Is it about a mockingbird?" Dil wonders, raising an eyebrow.

"No, it's a lot deeper than that. There's issues about race, crime-"

"Race? You mean the relations between people like us and African-Americans, like Susie?"

"Yeah," Chuckie starts. "You may think that now every thing's all going well and everyone's getting on harmoniously, when there is still work to be done in the world. Harmonie has told me that even in Australia, minorities still struggle to live fully equal among the ruling class. And- it's the same here, she says. Minorities, particularly African Americans and Latinos are still struggling to find common ground with the ruling class-"

"Because _some _of the ruling class will _not _even teach the next generation even a measly _month _about Africa, when clearly there should be much more than that dedicated to it," Kimi cuts in, her voice raising with every word she spoke. "_Some _people just seem _intact_ with teaching only the _basics, _just so they could get by in life and not have to worry about causing _trouble_!"

Dil shrugs. "Pretty deep for high school freshmen."

"Stedwell again?" Chuckie mutters aside to Tommy. He and the DeVilles nod in the affirmative.

"O-kay," Dil said, rubbing his hands together. "So, what's everyone's plans for the weekend?"

Kimi's eyes narrow. "Shut your hole, Dil!"

* * *

><p>By three in the afternoon, the school day had come to a close. Tommy strides toward his locker to collect his books for weekend homework. Placing his books into his backpack, he thought about the events that transpired today...all having to do with Mr. Stedwell. He reaches up in his locker for Roman. <em>At least it's the weekend...and I can concentrate on any ideas for this next film I want to make. <em>Slamming the locker shut, Tommy swept his backpack over his shoulder and starts for the exit. He clutches Roman in his hand, his mind buzzing with thoughts.

"You don't understand!" a man's heavily-accented voice thunders from the direction of the main office. "I need to speak with him, _immediately."_

Tommy's heart lurches. _This sounds interesting. I _need _to check this out. _He runs down the hall toward the voice. The main office pops into view on his right. Through the window, he spots a tall figure in a black cloak talking with Mrs. Webster, the school receptionist.

"I'm sorry, sir. I can't allow it," she said, firmly. "Our after-school program has began, and-"

"Madam, please!" the stranger begs. Tommy noticed his strong accent depicted his Eastern European origins. "I need Stedwell. Where's Stedwell?"

Tommy's eyes widened. _Of course. He's looking for Stedwell. Who in the heck is this guy, and what does he have to do with my new history teacher? _He fumbles with Roman and sneaks toward the door frame to the offices. Shaking, Tommy turns on Roman and begins recording.

"Mr. Ivanov, would you please keep it down?" Mrs. Webster orders, holding up her hand. "I don't know your intentions are, but if you continue on with these mad ravings, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Silence. The cloaked man grips onto the receptionist desk.

"Mr. Ivanov, I have neither the time or the patience-"

"What's going on here?" a familiar voice booms. Vice Principal Pangborn appears in the room. Tommy holds his breath. "Who is this man, Estelle?"

"I'm trying to figure it out, sir," Mrs. Webster said, exasperatedly. "So far, I've only managed to get the man's name...Vladimir Ivanov...and he demands to see Stedwell."

"Stedwell?" Pangborn said. "That's one of our new ones, eh?"

"Mmm-hmm. _You _handle this, Estes. I need a pill for my headache. If you will excuse me-" Mrs. Webster gets up from her desk and leaves the room. Vladimir Ivanov turns to meet Pangborn's gaze.

"Mr. Ivanov." Pangborn reaches a hand to the stranger. "Estes Pangborn. Vice-Principal. What seems to be the problem here?"

Ivanov gazes at the offered hand with a wary look on his face. Tommy observes the strange man in the main office. With straggly raven hair, beady coal-black eyes, and sharp features, Vladimir Ivanov presented a terrifying presence...otherwise.

Hesitating, Ivanov takes Pangborn's hand in a polite shake. "Vladimir Ivanov. Old _friend _of Stedwell. I'm here...in town...for a visit. Uh...want to _congratulate _him on his new position...at the school here."

Tommy narrows his eyes. _He's obviously lying. _He focuses on Pangborn, who wears a dubious look.

"Alright. I'll see if I can reach him." Pangborn picks up the phone and dials the extension to the history wing. "Hey, Chuck. Yeah, is Stedwell still on campus? In the offices? Oh, okay. Thank you."

He slams the receiver down. "Department chair's sending him over here. Take a seat if you like. As for me, I'm off to find Velma. Takin' her out for dinner tonight."

With a curt nod at the stranger's direction, Pangborn sweeps out of the office. To Tommy's relief, he doesn't catch a second glance toward his direction. It wasn't long until Stedwell appears, with suitcase in hand and wearing his own cloak. Thankfully, he doesn't see Tommy either and rushes into the office.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demands in his typical irked tone, now tinged with panic. Obviously, in the contrary of Ivanov's explanation, Stedwell was not at all happy to see him. Tommy leans in closer, the tape still rolling.

"Stedwell," Ivanov spoke, calmly. "Good to see you. Hope you are well."

"Enough with the pleasantries, Ivanov," Stedwell snaps. "Why are you here?"

"I need to speak with you," Ivanov hisses. "It's very important."

A nasty silence passes for a few seconds, until Stedwell heaves a sigh. "Very well. I was set to leave this..._school... _anyway. Come." He motions his hand and Ivanov obliges. The two men walk out of the main office and stride toward the entrance of the school. Tommy follows closely behind them, praying that neither of the men would hear his footfalls.

Stedwell bangs the double doors open and Tommy follows them out to the faculty parking lot. Tommy quickly ducks behind a 1970s Cadillac that belonged to Mr. Marsh, his Pre-Algebra teacher, and spots Stedwell and Ivanov stopping at a newer Jaguar model that had to belong to Stedwell.

Tommy's brow furrows. _That car must be brand new. How could Stedwell, a public school teacher, afford such a nice car? Phil must be right; he must have been a teacher at some elite New England private school..._

Tommy leans over the hood of the Cadillac and focuses his lens on the two men now talking fanatically.

"Look, Ivanov, I don't know what you're up to, but I must insist that you leave me alone," Stedwell was saying.

"It's important that I speak to you, Stedwell. It's happening."

"_What's _happening?"

"What we feared," Ivanov murmurs, his eyes frantic with fear. "_He's _back. He's back, Stedwell. He's coming for us."

Tommy gasps. _Who's back? And what does he have to do with Stedwell and Ivanov? _

Stedwell stares at his companion. Tommy wondered if he was inwardly nervous about this unnamed dude.

"What are the signs, Ivanov? Are there any signs?" he demands, his voice wavering a bit. Tommy wanted to laugh; Stedwell sounded _terrified. _

"There have been _whispers, _old friend. If I can get a hold of Merrington-"

Tommy's brow quirks up._ Merrington. Could it be Dalton Merrington's dad that he's talking about?_

Stedwell's eyes narrowed. "What makes you believe I would allow you to see Lucas Merrington?"

"Vouch for me, Stedwell," Ivanov said, his eyes locked on the other man. "You are his best friend. You are the godfather of his only child. He'll _listen _to you."

_Oh, so Stedwell is Dalton Merrington's godfather. I've _got _to tell Angelica..._

"So, what you are saying is that_..._you wish for me to _vouch _for your madness?" Stedwell spoke. "You are insane, Vladimir Ivanov."

"So, you'll do it?"

Stedwell's steely gaze remains on the man before him. "We'll discuss this...another day. I _may _think about it. How did you get here, Ivanov?"

"I flew here from east coast, and staying at a hotel in town. I took a taxi here."

"Come with me," Stedwell said. "I'll take you to your hotel."

Tommy then watches as the two cloaked men got into Stedwell's black Jaguar. The car then speeds away, and Tommy turns Roman off. Now pondering the conversation he had just witnessed, he wonders what to do next.

_Whatever. I think I just found an inspiration for a new film. A spy thriller starring Stedwell, my new history teacher and Vladimir Ivanov his...eh...frenemy? Henchman? Lackey? Aw, forget it. _Tommy gathers Roman in his backpack and starts for the sidewalk leading to downtown Winona.


End file.
